Ousted Bangladesh Leader Sheikh Hasina Asks for Passport to Return from Exile

Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has requested a new passport and national identity card to help her return home from exile.

The Passport Request

Ms. Hasina's counsel emailed a letter to Bangladesh's top diplomat in London on Monday, November 9, 2026, asking for the documents to be provided. Abu Obaidha Arin, an aide to Ms. Hasina, stated that she plans to return to Bangladesh in December at any cost. Her previous documents were revoked by the previous regime, and her team calls this passport request a step toward reclaiming her fundamental rights as a citizen. The current Bangladesh government has not yet commented on this request.

Extradition and Legal Status

Junior Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir stated on Thursday, November 5, 2026, that Bangladesh wants Ms. Hasina handed over under an active extradition treaty. India has declined to hand her over after the Bangladesh military sent her there when student-led protests forced her from power on August 5, 2024. A special tribunal in 2025 sentenced her to death for crimes against humanity, ruling that she ordered a crackdown that left hundreds of people dead and thousands injured. The United Nations reported that nearly 1,400 people were killed during the unrest. Ms. Hasina denies all wrongdoing, rejects the tribunal verdict, and challenges the legitimacy of the trial.

Political Shift

Following her ouster, an interim government ran Bangladesh and held an election in February. Ms. Hasina's Awami League party was barred from taking part in this vote. Tarique Rahman, the son of a longtime archrival of Ms. Hasina, won a landslide victory and came to power.

Context

Exiled leaders often face significant legal and bureaucratic hurdles when attempting to secure travel documents from their home countries after a change in government. Extradition requests between nations depend heavily on bilateral treaties and diplomatic relations, which can often lead to standoffs when political asylum is granted by a host country.