Dhaka, Nov. 9 -- Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said authorities are examining the veracity and legal basis of an application submitted by former prime minister Sheikh Hasina for a national identity card (NID) and passport.

He made the remarks on Monday during a media briefing on contemporary issues at the Ministry of Home Affairs.

"I have also heard about the matter and seen it on news scrolls -- that the fugitive convict Sheikh Hasina has applied for her passport and NID. However, I have not yet been able to verify the authenticity of this," he said.

Noting that the foreign and law ministries are looking into the development, he added: "What legal basis does this carry, whether the application was genuinely submitted through the ...