The interim government of Bangladesh, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, is preparing to revoke the diplomatic passports held by ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her cabinet ministers, and members of parliament (MPs). This move, confirmed by a senior home ministry official to the Hindustan Times, aims to strip these individuals of their diplomatic privileges following their removal from power.
The official explained that the revocation will also apply to diplomatic passports held by officials who were forced into mandatory retirement or had their contracts terminated. While a formal notification regarding this decision is yet to be issued, the written instruction is expected to be sent to the Department of Immigration and Passports within the day.
The decision to revoke the diplomatic passports, commonly referred to as ‘red passports’, was made on the grounds that these individuals are no longer holding their respective positions. The home ministry has issued verbal instructions to the Department of Immigration and Passports regarding this matter, but no formal notification has been released yet.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s Secretary-General, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, has called upon India to extradite the deposed prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, to face trial. He accuses her of plotting to undermine the student-led “revolution” that led to her ouster.
Sheikh Hasina resigned as Prime Minister on August 5th and sought refuge in India following weeks of deadly student protests that ultimately ended her 15-year rule. The interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, was subsequently formed.
Since her departure, more than 40 cases have been filed against Hasina, accusing her of various offenses including murder, crimes against humanity, and genocide related to the recent anti-quota protests in the country. These charges also include allegations of attacking a procession in Sylhet city, which resulted in several people being shot and injured during the mass protests on August 4th.
