Red passports of Sheikh Hasina and former ministers-MPs are cancelled

The interim government is going to cancel the diplomatic passports (red passports) allocated in the name of Sheikh Hasina and former ministers-MPs after the fall of the Awami League government in the recent mass uprising of the students in Bangladesh. The government has started the process of taking necessary measures in this regard. Orders are being issued to cancel red passports issued in the names of former ministers-MPs of the defunct government within two days.

If the red passport is cancelled, former ministers-MPs who have criminal cases or have been arrested may have to go through legal process to get normal passports, said the concerned. In that case, only a normal passport will be obtained if the court order is obtained.

On August 5, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left the country and sought refuge in India in the face of the student movement. Some former ministers and MPs of his government have already been arrested. Some fled abroad before the fall of the government to avoid arrest.

Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who took refuge in India, was a holder of a diplomatic passport or red passport. According to the agreement signed between Bangladesh and India on July 15, 2018, he can easily stay in India without any visa for at least one and a half months due to that passport. He went to India on August 5. According to Indian law, Sheikh Hasina can stay in the country for another 29 days. Unless the passport is 'revoked' or revoked in the meantime. So the current position is completely legal, there is no need for India to take any separate action in this regard. On the other hand, Sheikh Hasina's sister Sheikh Rehana holds a UK passport. As a result he will get visa on arrival facility in India. With this facility he can stay in India as long as he likes.

According to the sources of the Directorate of Passports, when the general new government is formed, the ministers-MPs get diplomatic passports (red passports) for the duration of the parliament i.e. five years. When the term of parliament expires, the validity of the passport also expires. However, diplomatic passports (red passports) of Ministers-MPs are usually canceled when the order comes. After that anyone has the right to get a normal passport (green color) as a citizen of Bangladesh. But if someone has a criminal case in his name, he will not get a normal passport. In that case he will only get a normal passport if the court directs.

Former Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque said that the validity of the diplomatic passport ends when the term of parliament expires or as soon as the parliament is dissolved. Generally, holders of diplomatic passports surrender their passports and obtain ordinary passports upon expiry.