Sheikh Hasina Plans to Return to Bangladesh in December Amid Passport Application and Legal Challenges

Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is reportedly planning to return to Bangladesh in December 2026, according to a report published by the British newspaper The Guardian on Tuesday, November 10.

Members of her party currently living in exile have said that Hasina is confident about returning to Bangladesh next month. The report also states that she has applied for a new Bangladeshi passport this week, raising fresh questions about her possible return after more than two years in exile in India. However, no official confirmation has been issued regarding a specific date for her return.

Sheikh Hasina has been living in India since August 2024, when she left Bangladesh following a mass uprising that brought an end to her government. The uprising began with student protests against the government and eventually developed into a nationwide movement demanding political change. Hasina left the country on August 5, 2024, and subsequently took refuge in New Delhi.

Since then, she has remained outside Bangladesh while political and legal developments surrounding her government continue to shape the country's political landscape. According to a Reuters report published on November 9, a London-based legal team representing Sheikh Hasina sent a letter to the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi requesting a new Bangladeshi passport and national identity card.

The legal representatives reportedly said that they had learned that her previous passport and national identity card had been cancelled during the interim government's tenure. They requested that the relevant authorities process her applications and issue the necessary documents.

Hasina's associates have indicated that a date for her return could be announced after the required formalities are completed. She has also reportedly expressed her willingness to return and face legal proceedings in Bangladesh. Nevertheless, the passport application does not mean that the documents have been approved or that her return has been officially arranged.

Sheikh Hasina faces serious legal challenges in Bangladesh.

In November 2025, the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh sentenced her to death in absentia after finding her guilty of crimes against humanity in connection with the deadly crackdown on the 2024 student-led uprising. The United Nations estimated that as many as 1,400 people may have been killed during the violence and security crackdown between July and August 2024.

Hasina has rejected the allegations and challenged the fairness and legitimacy of the trial conducted in her absence. On November 10, 2026, Bangladesh's chief prosecutor, Md Aminul Islam, said that Hasina would face the legal consequences of the death sentence if she returned to the country. He also questioned whether she could legally obtain a new passport following the verdict.

The prosecution has maintained that the legal process and the applicable appeal period must be considered in determining her position. Bangladesh has also pursued diplomatic and legal steps concerning Hasina's return.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said that the authorities were reviewing the legal basis and procedural requirements of her passport application. He also stated that Bangladesh had already requested India to extradite Sheikh Hasina.

According to the government's position, any return would have to take place within the applicable legal and diplomatic framework, including the extradition process involving India. India has not publicly confirmed that it will facilitate Hasina's proposed return to Bangladesh.

On November 10, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was asked about the reported passport application and possible return. He did not provide a direct confirmation of any travel arrangement, saying that the necessary travel documents would be required for such a journey.

India's position remains an important factor because Hasina has been residing in New Delhi since leaving Bangladesh in August 2024. The possibility of Sheikh Hasina returning to Bangladesh has attracted renewed attention at a time when the country's political environment remains sensitive.

The Awami League's political activities have been banned under the current legal and political arrangements, while several of its leaders and activists are facing legal cases, detention or living outside the country. A potential return by Hasina could bring renewed attention to the cases against her, the future of the Awami League and the country's broader political transition.

It could also raise questions about the legal procedures that would apply immediately upon her arrival. Although members of her party have claimed that Sheikh Hasina is confident about returning in December, several major issues remain unresolved.

These include the approval of her passport and national identity card applications, India's position on her departure, Bangladesh's extradition request and the legal consequences of the death sentence. As of November 10, 2026, there has been no official confirmation that Sheikh Hasina will return to Bangladesh on a specific date in December.Her reported plan has nevertheless brought her possible return, the legal proceedings against her and the future of Bangladesh's political landscape back into the international spotlight.