Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will have to face the execution of her death sentence if she returns to the country, International Crimes Tribunal chief prosecutor Md Aminul Islam said on Tuesday, ruling out the possibility of her receiving a new passport or travel document.
His remarks came a day after Hasina, who has been living in India since fleeing Bangladesh in August 2024, sought a fresh passport and national identity card (NID) through her London-based lawyers. She has said she intends to return to Bangladesh in December and surrender before a court, despite the possibility of arrest, imprisonment or execution.
“Sheikh Hasina has no option but to face the execution of the verdict,” AFP quoted Aminul as saying while responding to reports of her planned return.
Hasina was sentenced to death in absentia by Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal in November 2025 for crimes against humanity over the alleged crackdown on protesters during the 2024 mass uprising that led to her removal from power. She has denied wrongdoing and questioned the legitimacy of the proceedings.
Prosecutor says 30-day appeal deadline has expired
Aminul questioned Hasina's stated intention to return, arguing that she had the opportunity to face the trial and challenge the verdict but chose to remain outside the country.
“If she genuinely wanted to return to Bangladesh, she would have come back while the trial was ongoing and faced the case. She would also have returned within 30 days of the publication of the verdict to file an appeal,” The Daily Star quoted him as saying.
He maintained that Hasina had exhausted her legal opportunity to appeal by failing to approach the court within the stipulated 30-day period.
The chief prosecutor also said there was no legal provision allowing the government to issue a passport or travel document to someone convicted of an offence of this nature. Citing Articles 6 and 7 of the Bangladesh Passport Order, 1973, he said the provisions restrict passport issuance to certain convicted persons, including those sentenced to at least two years' imprisonment for offences involving moral turpitude.
Aminul argued that crimes against humanity fell within this category and said the government had already revoked Hasina's passport.
He also questioned the legitimacy of the application, pointing out that it had been submitted through a law firm rather than by Hasina herself. He said that if she genuinely intended to return, she should make a written request to the Indian government seeking her handover under the India-Bangladesh extradition treaty.
The prosecutor further questioned whether vested interests within the Awami League were using Hasina as a “trump card” to create political instability in Bangladesh.
Hasina's passport request rejected by Dhaka
Hasina's London-based lawyers at Matrix Chambers wrote to Preeti Rahman, the acting Bangladesh high commissioner in New Delhi, on Monday, seeking the issuance of fresh travel and identity documents.
The letter referred to the reported cancellation of Hasina's existing Bangladeshi passport and National Identity Card by the interim government and other authorities.
“In view of the reported revocation of her existing Bangladeshi passport and National Identity Card (NID) by the Interim Government and other authorities, I respectfully request that you take the necessary steps to issue a new Bangladeshi passport and National Identity Card for our client,” the letter said.
The lawyers argued that the request was based on Hasina's Bangladeshi nationality and the country's obligations under domestic law and applicable international human rights instruments. They also asked the high commission to explain the formalities and documentation required to process the applications expeditiously.
Hasina confirmed to Hindustan Times that her lawyers had written to the Bangladesh mission and shared a copy of the email sent on Monday.
However, Dhaka rejected the request within hours and reiterated its demand for Hasina's extradition from India.
Bangladesh's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said there was an established process for her return under the bilateral extradition treaty.
“She can ask India to hand her over through the extradition treaty,” he said, adding, “Bangladesh does not give passports to terrorists. It asks for them to be handed over.”
Bangladesh's Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed had earlier said the authorities were examining the legal basis of the passport application, including whether Hasina was eligible to apply and whether the request had followed due process. He also reiterated that Dhaka had already sought her extradition from India.
Hasina says she is prepared to face arrest or death
Hasina has repeatedly maintained that she intends to return to Bangladesh in December. Earlier this year, she said the possibility of being arrested, imprisoned or killed would not deter her.
“I may be sent to prison or be killed, but fear cannot decide my duty to the people,” she had said.
In an interview with Reuters, she also said she planned to return and surrender before a court. Her aides indicated that the date of her return would be announced once the necessary formalities were completed.
Hasina fled to India in August 2024 after a mass uprising brought an end to her 15-year rule. The protests, led largely by students, were met with a deadly crackdown. The United Nations has estimated that up to 1,400 people were killed during the violence.
Her Awami League party has since been barred from participating in elections, while several of its leaders have been arrested or gone into exile.
Extradition demand strains India-Bangladesh ties
Hasina's presence in India has remained a major point of tension between New Delhi and Dhaka. Bangladesh has repeatedly sought her extradition, while India has said it is examining the requests.
Her proposed return comes at a time when relations between the two countries remain strained. Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, who came to power after the February 2026 elections, has also skipped major regional engagements, including the BRICS summit in New Delhi, despite diplomatic efforts on both sides.
Hasina's return could present a major political and legal challenge for the Tarique Rahman government, particularly given the death sentence against her and the continuing divisions within Bangladesh over the events that led to her ouster.
For now, the chief prosecutor has made clear that Dhaka expects her return to take place through the formal extradition process rather than through the issuance of fresh travel documents.