The diplomatic passport of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been cancelled. The interim government of Bangladesh has taken this decision.
Sheikh Hasina resigned from the post of Prime Minister on August 5. After the resignation, she had to leave Bangladesh. Since then Sheikh Hasina has been living in India. However, now her problems have increased further after the cancellation of diplomatic passport.
The interim government of Bangladesh has cancelled her diplomatic passport at a time when a UN team had arrived in Dhaka a day earlier to investigate the alleged violation of human rights. More than 450 people are claimed to have died in the violence in Bangladesh. A murder case has also been registered against Sheikh Hasina in connection with some deaths.
Bangladesh Home Ministry said that the passports of Sheikh Hasina and the leaders and MPs who were ministers in her government have been cancelled.
Why was the passport cancelled?
Actually, on August 5, Sheikh Hasina resigned from the post of Prime Minister. After her resignation, the Parliament was also dissolved. Therefore, everyone’s diplomatic passports have been cancelled.
According to the Dhaka Tribune report, the Home Ministry has asked the former Prime Minister, her advisors, former cabinet ministers and MPs to submit their diplomatic passports. The same rule applies to their family members as well. That is, any member of Sheikh Hasina’s family who has a diplomatic passport will have to submit it.
In a statement issued by the Home Ministry, it has been said that after submitting the diplomatic passport, they can apply for a general passport. After the approval of two security agencies, they will be issued a general passport.
However, the Home Ministry has not stated what legal action will be taken against a person if he does not submit his diplomatic passport.
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What will be its effect?
Three types of passports are issued in Bangladesh. The first is the diplomatic passport, which comes in a red cover. This passport is issued to the Prime Minister, President, diplomats, top ranking government officials, MPs, ministers. This passport has many benefits. Those who have a diplomatic passport can travel to many countries without a visa.
Second- there is an official passport which comes in a blue cover. This passport is issued to government officers and employees for official travel. Whereas, the general passport comes in a green cover, which is given to common citizens.
The most powerful is the diplomatic passport. Those who have this passport get many privileges abroad. Diplomatic passport holders do not even need a visa to travel to any country.
The cancellation of the diplomatic passports of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her family members means that the facilities they were getting till now will no longer be available to them.
This decision of the interim government of Bangladesh can also create diplomatic problems for India. It is being reported in the Bangladeshi media that the problems of Sheikh Hasina and former MPs and ministers of her party may increase and they may have to return.
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Will India’s worries also increase?
After the resignation of Sheikh Hasina, an interim government was formed in Bangladesh on August 8. Mohammad Yunus has been made its head. Mohammad Yunus and Sheikh Hasina are considered arch rivals.
Now Sheikh Hasina is in India and Mohammad Yunus is in power in Bangladesh. The decision to cancel Sheikh Hasina’s diplomatic passport is being seen as an attempt to put pressure on India. It is believed that Bangladesh took this decision so that pressure can be put on India for the extradition of Sheikh Hasina.
According to India’s visa policy, Bangladeshi citizens with diplomatic or official passports can stay in India for 45 days without a visa. Sheikh Hasina has been in India for 18 days till August 23. Bangladeshi news website ‘The Daily Star’ claims that Sheikh Hasina does not have any other passport except the diplomatic passport. Now her diplomatic passport has also been cancelled. In such a situation, a diplomatic problem has arisen for India.
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So will Sheikh Hasina have to return?
More than 50 criminal cases have been registered against Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh. More than 40 of these are related to murder and kidnapping.
After the cancellation of Sheikh Hasina’s diplomatic passport, the Bangladesh government can also demand her extradition. There has been a demand for her extradition in Bangladesh for many days. Bangladesh Foreign Minister Tauhid Hussain recently hinted at Sheikh Hasina’s extradition in an interview to news agency Reuters. He said that many cases have been registered against her in Bangladesh, in such a situation her return may be required.
India and Bangladesh have an extradition treaty since 2013. According to the extradition treaty, both countries have to hand over each other’s criminals. It was because of the extradition treaty that Bangladesh handed over Anup Chetia to India in November 2015. Anup Chetia was the leader of Assam’s separatist organization ULFA and was imprisoned in Dhaka jail since 1997.
After cancelling the diplomatic passport, now the Bangladesh government can put pressure on India to extradite Sheikh Hasina. There is a provision in the extradition treaty between the two countries that if a person has committed a crime which has a provision of at least one year of punishment, then he will be extradited. It is written in the treaty that if a person has committed a crime of political nature, then his extradition can also be denied. However, a person involved in crimes like murder, genocide and kidnapping cannot be denied extradition.
Last week, on the question related to the extradition of Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said that this is still a hypothetical question and it is not practical to answer it at the moment.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia had also said that Sheikh Hasina should be extradited on the basis of the crimes she has committed. Earlier, BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had said that India should hand over Sheikh Hasina to Bangladesh legally.
However, now Sheikh Hasina’s troubles are increasing. Diplomatic troubles are also arising for India. However, just a few days ago, Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy had said that she wants to return to Bangladesh soon.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)