Hasina's passport, NID applications being verified: Salahuddin

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Monday said the government is verifying reports that ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina has applied for a passport and a national identity card (NID) in New Delhi.

He came up with the remarks during a media briefing on contemporary issues at the Ministry of Home Affairs in Dhaka.

Salahuddin Ahmed said, "I have also heard about the matter. Fugitive convict Sheikh Hasina has reportedly applied for a passport and an NID. However, I have not yet been able to verify whether this is true. The ministries of foreign affairs and law are looking into the matter." 

He said the government would examine all relevant legal provisions, including the legal basis for such applications, whether they had actually been submitted properly and whether she was entitled to apply, before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Ministry of Law took any steps.

"What I can say is that, in line with our extradition treaty with the country in which a convicted offender seeks refuge, we have dispatched a letter through our foreign ministry to ensure she is extradited in accordance with the law," he added.