New Delhi, November 10, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The death sentence against former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina remains a major obstacle to her return home, with the country’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Chief Prosecutor Md Shahriar Alam reportedly saying there is no alternative to executing the sentence if she returns.
His remarks came a day after a London-based legal firm reportedly approached the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi seeking a new passport and National Identity Card for Hasina, who has been living in India since August 2024. The request has triggered strong reactions in Dhaka.
According to The Daily Star, Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman told Parliament on Tuesday that 1,883 cases had been filed across Bangladesh since the July 2024 protests, including 805 murder cases. He also said 79 cases had been filed or registered with the ICT against those accused of attacking participants in the student movement.
Eight cases have so far been disposed of through full verdicts, resulting in sentences for 73 defendants. Of these, 24 people, including Hasina, have received death sentences, while 49 others have been awarded various prison terms, including life imprisonment, the report said.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh government appears to favour bringing Hasina back through extradition rather than facilitating her voluntary return through travel documents. Quoting Prime Minister Tariq Rahman’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman, The Business Standard reported that the government sees no legal complications in seeking her return under the extradition treaty between India and Bangladesh.
Zahed said legal complications could arise if the person concerned approached a court to challenge extradition, but he considered such a possibility unlikely if Hasina herself wished to return. He also said Hasina had not personally submitted a passport application, claiming that the High Commission’s press minister had received a letter from a law firm seeking arrangements for issuing her a passport.
The legal firm reportedly argued that Hasina remains a Bangladeshi national and is entitled to the relevant documents under Bangladeshi and international law. However, separate reports said officials had questioned whether the lawyers were duly authorised to act on her behalf, as the email reportedly lacked documentary proof of such authorisation. The High Commission is said to have forwarded the correspondence to Dhaka for examination.
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