Desk News || Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has applied for a new passport and National Identity Card (NID) as part of preparations for a possible return to Bangladesh from India. Her legal representatives sent a formal letter to the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on Monday, requesting the issuance of the documents.According to the letter, lawyers from London-based legal firm Matrix Chambers submitted the application on Hasina’s behalf to Priti Rahman, Acting High Commissioner of Bangladesh in New Delhi.The letter, obtained by Reuters, marks the first such application made on Hasina’s behalf to the Bangladesh diplomatic mission since she left the country in 2024.The move is being viewed as a significant step towards her reported plan to return to Bangladesh in December. Her possible return could trigger fresh political and legal developments, particularly given the circumstances surrounding her departure from power and the subsequent ban on the activities of the Awami League.In the letter, Hasina’s lawyers stated that they had been informed that her previous Bangladeshi passport and National Identity Card had been cancelled by the interim government and relevant authorities following the political changes in 2024.On that basis, they requested the issuance of new travel and identity documents, citing her Bangladeshi citizenship. The lawyers also urged the authorities to process the applications promptly, referring to Bangladesh’s obligations under various international human rights agreements.Reuters sought comments from Acting High Commissioner Priti Rahman in New Delhi and spokespersons for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka. However, no immediate response was received.Earlier, Hasina told Reuters that she intended to return to Bangladesh and surrender before the court. On Monday, her associates also indicated that a specific date for her return would be announced once the necessary formalities had been completed.Hasina was sentenced to death in absentia by the International Crimes Tribunal in November last year over allegations of ordering a deadly crackdown during the 2024 student-led uprising. She has consistently denied the allegations while remaining in India.Reuters also reported that the Awami League was Bangladesh’s largest political party before Hasina’s removal from power. Its activities were subsequently banned, while many of its leaders and activists were arrested. Others have left the country and are currently staying in India and elsewhere.Despite her removal from office, Hasina continues to enjoy support among a section of the population. Consequently, any attempt to return could further intensify the country’s existing political divisions.Her potential return may also have implications for Bangladesh-India relations, which have experienced considerable strain since India provided shelter to the former prime minister following her departure from Bangladesh. Against this backdrop, her latest move could add another dimension to the already sensitive diplomatic relationship between the two neighbouring countries.