Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, currently residing in self-imposed exile in India, has submitted a request for a new Bangladeshi passport and National Identity Card (NID) to facilitate her return to the country. London-based law firm Matrix Chambers dispatched the application via email to the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on Monday (November 9, 2026).
This marks the first official step taken by the ousted leader to return to Bangladesh since fleeing to India on August 5, 2024, amid a student-led mass uprising. Speaking to Reuters, Sheikh Hasina confirmed her intention to return to Bangladesh in December to surrender before the court.
Legal Communication and Diplomatic Hurdles
Lawyers from Matrix Chambers addressed the email to Acting High Commissioner Preeti Rahman in New Delhi, stating that Sheikh Hasina’s previous passport and NID were revoked by authorities following the political transition. Citing international human rights obligations and her inherent Bangladeshi citizenship, the firm requested the prompt issuance of new identity documents.
However, diplomatic sources in Dhaka and New Delhi revealed that while the email claimed to represent the former Prime Minister, it lacked a signed authorization document or power of attorney from Sheikh Hasina. Following the receipt of the communication, the New Delhi mission immediately forwarded the matter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir is expected to brief the press on the government's stance shortly.
Political and Legal Landscape
Following the 2024 uprising, the activities of the Awami League were banned in Bangladesh. In November last year, the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Sheikh Hasina to death in absentia for her alleged role in ordering lethal crackdowns on protesters—charges she has repeatedly denied.
Aides to the former Prime Minister noted that her exact return schedule would be confirmed once diplomatic and legal formalities are processed. After more than two years of political transition, Sheikh Hasina’s initiative to return adds a complex dimension to domestic politics and bilateral relations between Dhaka and New Delhi.
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