Ousted PM Sheikh Hasina seeks new passport in clearest sign of Bangladesh return

Ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has requested a new passport and identity card, signaling her intention to return from self-imposed exile in India, according to a letter obtained by Reuters. This is the most concrete indication yet of her plan to come back to Bangladesh in December, more than two years after a violent uprising ended her two decades in power.

The move comes amid rising tensions, as Hasina faces a potential legal battle for her role in a deadly crackdown on student protests, which resulted in a death sentence handed down by Bangladesh's war-crimes court. However, she maintains her innocence. Hasina's lawyers have written to Preeti Rahman, the acting high commissioner at Bangladesh's embassy in Delhi, asking for the issuance of a new passport and NID as soon as possible.

Hasina's Awami League party, once the largest in the country, was banned following her ousting. Many of her party members are now in exile, either in India or elsewhere. Hasina's supporters still hold significant sway, but a return could stir political strife as the new government attempts to stabilize the nation after months of unrest.

On the other hand, it might ease strained relations with India, which had welcomed her into the country following her ouster.