Tarique Rahman, son of Sheikh Hasina's primary rival Late Khaleda Zia, now serves as Bangladesh Prime Minister. During Hasina's tenure in power, Tarique Rahman - facing multiple charges - himself resided in London.
Sheikh Hasina has now processed a 'passport application' through an a private and London-based agency. This comes as Bangladesh have arrested 12 people over multiple petrol bomb attacks.
The country also faces other challenges including protests from garment workers and other economic and diplomatic challenges. Relations with India are hardly good.
Aminul Islam, chief prosecutor of Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal, said in Dhaka: “Under the passport law, if an accused evades the judicial process or remains a fugitive, no passport can be issued".
Hasina for all practical reasons has been 'fugitive' from August 2024 and that means before her conviction by a special court in November 2025. “An arrest warrant has been issued to bring her back, and a notice has been published in newspapers. She has evaded judicial proceedings against her,” he added.
Rejecting passport on technical ground or otherwise would also mean Dhaka does not want to create any fresh political row by allowing protests and rallies by the Awami League leadership and cadres. Instead Dhaka is insisting that she must "return to Bangladesh through the existing extradition procedures" between India and Bangladesh. That means as a prisoner.
New Delhi is hardly keen to oblige such a request. India’s External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said : “On the extradition of Sheikh Hasina, I have told you that this is a legal matter, and the issue will be dealt accordingly.
Now, obviously, for travel of people, you need a travel document,” he told a media briefing.
All these mean her possible 'return' in December remains scuttled.
“Sheikh Hasina’s proposed return could become a major political flashpoint,” said Swaran Singh, a former professor of diplomacy and disarmament at New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University, as reported by 'South China Morning Post'. Others say - it may be too early for PM Tarique Rahman to oblige her and in the process invite bigger problems.
But for the Awami League; every week or a month gone is almost like waste of time.
Born Sept 28, 1947 - she is now 79. Age is catching up but the second round leadership has not been created for Awami League.
Sheikh Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy had kept himself isolated from politics. But slowly, he is getting into it. Some Awami League workers and leaders - including a section of Hindus - who are in respective hideouts in India - say Joy is gradually getting into the 'political form'.
He appeared in the media conference on August 5 this year in a virtual interaction in Delhi.
Among other things - he had said: "Bangladesh's future is bleak; India's future-security is bleak".
"What is happening in Bangladesh is political exclusion of the largest opposition party in order to grab and hold on to power .... This is democratic and electoral manipulation".
Some Awami leaders also say Joy has taken 'political punch and gave back too'.
"Sajeeb Wazed Joy has already given important political message. He has said there must have been mistakes in conducting elections in 2018 and 2024. If some parties and individuals could not participate in these elections; it did not do any service to the cause of democracy in Bangladesh," said one of them.
The Awami League foot soldiers are confident about one thing - if Hasina lands in Dhaka or any port or airport in Bangladesh; there would be "political upheaval".
The 'danger' portends a renewed political confrontation on the street and this is something the Tarique Rahman government does not want.
Hence in more ways than one - despite being in power - the BNP is on defensive.
The Awami League chief's planned return has sparked fears that it could galvanise her supporters and trigger fresh confrontations with those who backed her ousting. Everyone is aware that it was under some designs that Sheikh Hasina's party was barred from contesting the February election.
One Awami leader says -- "BNP and Jamaat were fighting only a fixed match. All so called hardliners including elements in Pakistan and Turkiye wanted Jamaat to win. But it was BNP - the 'better' political outfit between the two whom people chose".
This school of thought's argument is - if elections are held in next two months or next two years or even four-five years; the Awami League will again return with flying colours.
In a telephone interview with Reuters in July, Sheikh Hasina stated that authorities might arrest or kill her upon her return to Bangladesh. "If death comes, I want to die on my own soil, where my parents lie and where their blood was shed."
She added that despite the risks, it was crucial to stand alongside party workers facing adverse conditions in Bangladesh.
India is keeping a close vigil. New Delhi knows the importance of Dhaka in its South Asia paradigm context. This Muslim-majority country of 175 million people often sees Hasina as a "deeply polarizing figure".
The Tarique Govt faces complex challenge of managing an ousted PM under a death sentence but she is also daughter of Mujib.
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