‘Hasina is a terrorist; she must return through extradition treaty,’ says state minister

Foreign Affairs State Minister Humaiun Kobir has dismissed ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s reported application for a new passport and national identity card (NID) as “ridiculous”, saying she cannot return to Bangladesh as an ordinary traveller and must come through the prisoner extradition treaty.

“She is not coming to visit her maternal grandparents. She is a terrorist. She must come through the prisoner extradition treaty,” the state minister said while responding to questions from journalists at the Foreign Ministry on Monday about a Reuters report titled “Hasina seeks new passport in clearest sign of Bangladesh return”, which reported that Hasina had applied for a new passport and NID.

“Hasina’s application is ridiculous,” Humaiun said.

He said Hasina was not a normal commercial traveller and pointed out that she had been sentenced to death in November 2025 following a trial.

“She has been tried and sentenced to death. These are open public trials, not her kangaroo court. She fled. How will she return? Far from having a history of returning, she has a history of fleeing,” he said.

The state minister also criticised a British law firm over its involvement in the matter, urging it to learn more about its client rather than pursue money allegedly looted from the people of Bangladesh.

“Get to know about your client. Don’t run after her looted money from the people of Bangladesh. Exercise some ethical and moral boundaries. And if you don’t have those boundaries, you will be shamed all over the world,” he said.

Challenging the British legal assistance firm, he asked, “Can you come over and stand up to say this lady is innocent?”

Humaiun said whether the application of an accused person was forwarded or not was of no significance, adding that the authorities would communicate an appropriate response.

Asked whether the government had any plan to issue Hasina a travel pass, the state minister did not respond.