Says Home Minister
Hasina's passport application authenticity, legal basis under verification
Collected Photo
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said that the authenticity and legal basis of the matter concerning the National Identity Card (NID) and passport application of former Prime Minister and fugitive death-row convict Sheikh Hasina are being verified. He came up with this observation on Monday at a press briefing on contemporary issues held at the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Regarding Sheikh Hasina's passport and NID application, the Minister said, "I have also heard about the matter, seen it on TV Scroll. But I have not yet been able to verify its authenticity. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Law are looking into the matter."
Home minister further said, "What is its legal basis, whether the application has actually been made properly, whether there is a right to apply—after examining all the details and laws and regulations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Ministry of Law will take action."
He said, "However, as a prima facie case, I can say that we have sent a memo through our Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the country where the convicted accused has taken refuge, in accordance with the extradition agreement, so that she may be extradited in accordance with the law."
Regarding cocktail explosions at various places, Salahuddin Ahmed said, fallen forces are occasionally attacking some buses and some installations to create instability. The police are taking legal action and thwarting them."
Earlier, news agency Reuters reported that Sheikh Hasina submitted an application for a passport and national identity card through the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi. Reuters saw a letter of such application, Monday.
In 2024, when she flew to India, she held a red passport as Prime Minister. After the interim government came to power, her passport was cancelled. As a result, she is now known to be without a passport.
Reuters' report said that a letter was written on behalf of the London-based legal assistance firm Matrix Chambers to the Acting High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Delhi, Preeti Rahman, regarding Sheikh Hasina's passport.
The letter said, "It has been reported that the interim government and other authorities have cancelled her existing Bangladeshi passport and National Identity Card (NID). In this situation, we respectfully request that the necessary steps be taken to issue a new Bangladeshi passport and National Identity Card for our client."
