On November 9, British law firm Matrix, acting on behalf of Sheikh Hasina, submitted an application to the Bangladeshi High Commission in Delhi for a new passport and national identity card. The Ministry of Home Affairs in Bangladesh is responsible for issuing these documents, but the minister has yet to comment on the matter.
The application comes amidst ongoing political tension between Bangladesh and India, as Sheikh Hasina was taken to India by the Bangladeshi Army for her safety during a political crisis in August 2024. Upon her arrival in India, she was received by India's National Security Advisor at an airbase.
Since then, a new government has been formed in Bangladesh and held elections, with Sheikh Hasina's party being banned before the election and her sentenced to death in her absence. Sheikh Hasina has remained vocal on social media but has not spoken to any registered media outlet until a year later when she gave her first interview to Reuters.
In that interview, she announced her intention to return to Bangladesh by December 2026 and face all legal proceedings in person. However, there is disagreement between the two governments over the process of her return. While Sheikh Hasina has said she will accept imprisonment upon returning, Bangladesh wants India to send her back as a prisoner under the extradition treaty. India, however, does not have the legal authority to do so as she was given refuge in India as an honored state guest.
The disagreement over Sheikh Hasina's return has political and diplomatic implications, with the Bangladeshi Minister for Religious Affairs praying in parliament that Allah would not allow her to return to the country. The Indian government has yet to comment on the matter.