Bangladesh Revoking Diplomatic Passports: How Will It Impact Sheikh Hasina And Her Ousted Cabinet? | EXPLAINED

Bangladesh's interim government has started the process of revoking all diplomatic passports, including those held by ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her Cabinet ministers, and members of parliament (MPs), a senior official revealed on Thursday.

This decision, which has not yet been formally announced, will also apply to the diplomatic passports of officials who were either placed into mandatory retirement or had their contracts terminated, according to the senior official from the home ministry, who spoke on condition of anonymity, as reported by Hindustan Times.

Revocation Of Diplomatic Passports: Impact Sheikh Hasina

The interim government decided to revoke these diplomatic passports, commonly referred to as "red passports" due to their color, because the individuals no longer hold official positions, the official explained. "Since they are no longer in their positions, the decision to revoke their passports was made," he said.

However, he noted that the home ministry has so far only issued verbal instructions to the Department of Immigration and Passports, with a formal written notification still pending. "The written instruction may be sent to the department today [Thursday]," the official added, as reported by Hindustan Times.

This move comes amid reports that many former Cabinet ministers and MPs from Hasina's Awami League party have been attempting to flee Bangladesh. Hasina, facing intense pressure from student-led demonstrations, stepped down and fled to India on August 5. Some reports have suggested that she left without valid travel documents.

In recent weeks, several Cabinet ministers were detained while attempting to leave the country, prompting the Border Guard Bangladesh to increase security along the border with India. Typically, approvals for issuing diplomatic passports are granted by the home and foreign ministries, as per media reports.

The home ministry recently recommended the revocation of these passports, and the foreign ministry is expected to instruct the passport department to carry out the cancellations, according to people familiar with the matter. The passport department has already begun taking steps to cancel these diplomatic passports, the official confirmed.

Diplomatic passports are typically issued to the president, prime minister, Cabinet members, MPs and their spouses, judges of higher courts, vice-chancellors of public universities, heads of the Public Service Commission, ministry secretaries, and officials at Bangladeshi missions abroad. These passports are usually valid for five years or for the duration of Parliament's term, after which their validity expires.

Revoking diplomatic passports could affect Sheikh Hasina and other ousted officials in several ways:

• Travel Restrictions: Without a diplomatic passport, Hasina and her former cabinet members might face challenges traveling internationally, especially for official or diplomatic purposes.
• Diplomatic Immunity: Diplomatic passports often confer certain privileges and immunities. Losing these could expose them to legal scrutiny or restrictions in other countries.
• Symbolic Impact: The revocation is a clear signal of their loss of official status and could weaken their influence both domestically and internationally.
• Asylum or Refugee Status: If Hasina fled without valid travel documents, the loss of her diplomatic passport might complicate her legal status in the country where she sought refuge.

So, yes, the revocation of her diplomatic passport is likely to have significant consequences for Sheikh Hasina.