Dhaka (TDI): In a major development, Bangladesh has reinstated the “except Israel” inscription on its passports.
This policy reversal, announced on Sunday, comes amid growing public anger over Israel’s barbarity in Gaza.
The inscription had been removed in 2021 during the tenure of ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who argued that it was to bring the country’s passports in line with global standards.
Deputy Secretary at the Home Ministry’s Security Services Division, Nilima Afroze, said that an order was issued on April 7 directing the Department of Immigration and Passports to reinstate the phrase.
The new directive mandates that the statement “THIS PASSPORT IS VALID FOR ALL COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD EXCEPT ISRAEL” be reinstated on official travel permits.
The decision to reinstate the phrase follows mass protests that occurred in Dhaka on Saturday, where thousands gathered to condemn Israel’s cruelties in the Gaza Strip.
The demonstration, which gathered about 100,000 people, was staged at Suhrawardy Udyan near Dhaka University.
Protesters carried Palestinian flags, raised slogans like “Free, Free Palestine,” and displayed images of US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing them of backing Israeli policies in Gaza.
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The phrase “valid for all countries of the world except Israel” — in place since Bangladesh was established as an independent state in 1971 — was first deleted from the e-passport design in 2021.
However, despite the move, the government maintained its official travel ban to Israel for Bangladeshi passport holders.
Bangladesh has never had diplomatic ties with Israel and has historically backed the Palestinian cause.
The Gaza onslaught, which escalated after October 2023, has further ignited anti-Israel sentiments in Bangladesh.
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The Gaza health ministry has reported more than fifty thousand casualties, including civilians, further aggravating the already tense situation.
The clause was dropped during Sheikh Hasina’s government under the justification that it would improve Bangladesh’s diplomatic ties and align with global travel norms.
