Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina has spent almost three weeks in India following her ouster in the face of a student-led uprising against her government.
Currently, she has no passport other than her canceled diplomatic one.
As speculation mounts about the former prime minister's next move, the interim government of Bangladesh's decision to revoke Hasina's diplomatic passport may have started a countdown on her stay in India.
The interim government has canceled her diplomatic passport, which could complicate her stay in India.
Recently, the Ministry of Home Affairs has canceled the diplomatic passports of Sheikh Hasina, her advisers, former cabinet members, and all members of the 12th national parliament. Diplomatic passports for their spouses and children have also been revoked with an immediate effect.
Following Sheikh Hasina's departure, President Mohammad Shahabuddin dissolved the parliament.
Diplomatic passports have also been canceled for diplomatic staff whose employment or contracts have ended or been terminated.
For a new passport, these individuals will need to apply for a regular passport, which will require clearances from at least two investigative agencies.
Now Sheikh Hasina’s stay in India limited to 25 days
According to Indian government sources, with the cancellation of her diplomatic passport, Sheikh Hasina no longer holds any valid passport.
Under Indian visa policy, Bangladeshi diplomats or officials with official passports could enter India without a visa and stay for up to 45 days, reports Hindustan Times.
As of Saturday, Sheikh Hasina has been in India for 20 days, meaning she can stay legally for another 25 days.
The cancellation of Sheikh Hasina’s diplomatic passport and her associated visa benefits may pose a risk of extradition to Bangladesh.
She currently faces 51 cases in Bangladesh, including 42 murder charges.
The extradition of Hasina would fall under the legal framework of the 2013 extradition treaty between Bangladesh and India, which was amended in 2016. While the treaty allows for the refusal of extradition if the charges are of a political nature, it explicitly excludes crimes such as murder from being considered political.
Another reason for rejecting an extradition request could be if the cases against the individual are not filed in good faith or for the sake of justice.