Bangladesh on Monday challenged ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina to seek extradition from India if she was serious about returning home, as authorities reviewed her application to renew her passport.
Hasina’s 15-year rule ended in 2024 following a mass uprising that her government attempted to suppress. She was sentenced to death in absentia in November 2025 after being convicted of crimes against humanity over the crackdown on protesters.
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed told reporters that officials were examining Hasina’s application for a new passport, noting that she was a convicted offender who had taken refuge abroad.
“The legal basis of the application, whether it followed due process, and whether there is a right to apply for a passport — all those matters are being reviewed,” he said.
Ahmed added that Bangladesh had already sent a formal request to India seeking her extradition through legal channels.
Hasina’s Lawyers Seek Passport Renewal
Hasina’s British legal team has requested the renewal of her Bangladeshi travel documents following the reported revocation of her passport.
In a letter addressed to Bangladesh’s High Commission in New Delhi, London-based law firm Matrix Chambers asked authorities to issue a new passport and national identity card for their client.
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The lawyers requested that the applications be processed promptly, citing Hasina’s Bangladeshi nationality and the country’s obligations under international human rights instruments.
The letter did not specify when or where Hasina intended to travel.
Md Aminul Islam, chief prosecutor of the court that sentenced Hasina to death, dismissed the application as “nothing but a political stunt”.
Bangladesh Officials Urge Hasina to Face Justice
Hasina has repeatedly said she intends to return to Bangladesh. In an email to AFP, she said she was “fully aware” that she could face execution.
She also told Reuters that she planned to return and surrender before a court. Her aides said on Monday that they would announce a date once the necessary formalities had been completed.
Junior Foreign Minister Humaiun Kobir urged the former prime minister to surrender and face the legal consequences of her actions.
He questioned why Hasina was seeking to return without first asking India to hand her over under the extradition treaty between the two countries.
Hasina’s Presence in India Strains Bilateral Ties
Hasina fled to India in 2024, where she has remained since leaving office. She has not appeared publicly but has participated in online news conferences by telephone.
Her continued stay in India has strained relations between Dhaka and New Delhi. India has said Bangladesh’s extradition request is undergoing legal review.
The government of Tarique Rahman, whose party won the February elections while Hasina’s Awami League was barred from contesting, has pledged to ensure that the former prime minister receives due legal process in all cases if she returns.
Police Arrest 12 Over Petrol Bomb Attacks
Hasina’s proposed return also presents a political challenge for the new government. While many Bangladeshis want her to face execution, others fear her return could mobilise former supporters and trigger renewed political confrontation.
Meanwhile, police said they had arrested 12 people over a series of petrol bomb attacks this month targeting property, an empty bus and police vehicles. No casualties were reported.
Dhaka police spokesperson Md Akhtar Hossain said the suspects were members of Hasina’s banned Awami League party.
“They are trying to create panic among people,” he told AFP, adding that police remained vigilant to prevent further incidents.
