On Thursday, Bangladesh’s interim government revoked the diplomatic passport of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India earlier this month amid a student-led uprising. The revocation leaves Hasina, who ruled Bangladesh with an iron fist for 15 years, in a precarious situation.
This move coincides with the arrival of a United Nations team in Dhaka, tasked with assessing whether to investigate alleged human rights violations in the country. The uprising that led to Hasina’s ouster resulted in the deaths of over 450 people, many of whom were killed by police fire, as protesters stormed her official residence.
The interior ministry issued a statement declaring that the diplomatic passports of Hasina, former government ministers, and ex-lawmakers no longer in office “have to be revoked.” This decision creates a diplomatic challenge for India, where Hasina is currently staying.
“The former prime minister, her advisers, the former cabinet, and all members of the dissolved national assembly were eligible for diplomatic passports by virtue of the positions they held,” read the statement from Dhaka’s home ministry. “If they have been removed or retired from their posts, their and their spouses’ diplomatic passports have to be revoked.”
The new authorities in Dhaka indicated that Hasina and other former top officials could apply for standard passports, though the issuance of these documents would require approval.
