National Desk | November 9, 2026
Former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina has requested a new passport and national identity card while living in India, Reuters and the Associated Press reported on Monday, citing a letter from her lawyers. The request is linked to her stated intention to return to Bangladesh and face legal proceedings.
Reuters reported a government statement rejecting the request. AP separately quoted Bangladesh’s home minister as saying that officials were reviewing whether Hasina was legally eligible to apply. Those accounts should not be conflated into a single confirmed final administrative decision.
Hasina has lived in India since being removed from power in 2024. Both agencies reported that a tribunal sentenced her to death in absentia in 2025 in connection with the crackdown on the 2024 uprising. She denies the allegations and contests the legitimacy of the proceedings. Bangladesh has sought her extradition.
The issuance of new documents, a firm return date and the next steps in any extradition process have not been established by the passport request alone.
Sources: Reuters and AP, November 9, 2026.
Illustrative photograph.