The search for a safe haven for Bangladesh's ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appears to be hitting a dead end. According to a statement from her own party's press wing, multiple nations have declined to offer her refuge, leaving the 79-year-old leader in a precarious state of limbo as she remains in India.
The revelation, shared by KM Nazmul Haque, an assistant press secretary to BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman, indicates that efforts to relocate Hasina to a third country have failed. A Facebook post named the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Finland, the United States, Belarus, and Qatar as nations unwilling to shelter the former leader.
This diplomatic dead end comes as Dhaka intensifies its legal pursuit. Hasina, who fled to India in August 2024 following a student-led uprising that ended her 15-year rule, was sentenced to death in absentia by the International Crimes Tribunal in November 2025 for crimes against humanity linked to the deadly crackdown on protesters. The full verdict was published in January 2026, and authorities have confirmed she missed the 30-day window to appeal the conviction.
Adding to her legal troubles, Bangladesh recently rejected a request from her London-based lawyers for a new passport and national identity card, stating that as a fugitive and a convicted criminal, she is not entitled to such documents. Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam reiterated that her only legal avenue for return is through the extradition treaty with India, noting that her recent maneuvers are "merely political posturing".
While India has acknowledged receiving the extradition request, New Delhi has not announced a decision, leaving Hasina's future uncertain as she remains in a safe house near Delhi.
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Politics