On Thursday, the interim government revoked Hasina’s diplomatic passport after she escaped a student-led revolt by helicopter to India earlier this month. This decision leaves the former leader in a precarious situation and coincides with the arrival of a UN team in Dhaka to evaluate the need for a human rights investigation.
The unrest, which preceded Hasina’s removal, saw over 450 fatalities, many caused by police violence, and led to the storming of her official residence in Dhaka, ending her 15-year authoritarian rule.
The interior ministry announced that Hasina’s passport, along with those of former ministers and ex-lawmakers who are no longer in office, “must be revoked.” This action also presents a diplomatic challenge for India, where Hasina is currently residing.
Hasina, who fled to an airbase near New Delhi, was once a close ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi’s Hindu-nationalist government had preferred Hasina over her rivals from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, whom it viewed as having ties to conservative Islamist groups.
While India accommodates Hasina, Modi has also expressed support for Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel laureate now leading the caretaker government in Bangladesh.
The home ministry in Dhaka stated that former officials and their spouses, who were eligible for diplomatic passports due to their positions, would have their passports revoked upon removal or retirement from office. They can apply for regular passports, but these will require clearance from two security agencies before being issued.
Hasina’s administration faced accusations of severe abuses, including mass detentions and extrajudicial killings of political opponents. A preliminary UN report indicated “strong indications” of excessive force by security forces, warranting further investigation.
Yunus has pledged his administration’s full support to UN investigators. Additionally, a war crimes tribunal established by Hasina has initiated three investigations into alleged “mass murders” linked to the recent unrest.
