Bangladesh has reinstated the phrase “except Israel” on its passports, effectively banning its citizens from traveling to the country, amid rising public outrage over Israeli military actions in Gaza, officials confirmed on Sunday. The reintroduction of the restriction comes in the wake of mass demonstrations in Dhaka, where thousands gathered to protest Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
According to the state-run BSS news agency, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a directive instructing the Department of Immigration and Passports to reintroduce the statement: “THIS PASSPORT IS VALID FOR ALL COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD EXCEPT ISRAEL.” The order was officially issued on April 7, Deputy Secretary of the Security Services Division, Nilima Afroze, told the agency. “We issued the letter (directive) on April 7,” Nilima Afroze, Deputy Secretary of Home Ministry’s Security Services Division, told the news agency.
This inscription had been removed in 2021 under the Awami League government led by then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was later ousted. At the time, authorities argued that the removal was aimed at aligning Bangladeshi passports with international standards.
Protests in Bangladesh
The rally, held at Suhrawardy Udyan near Dhaka University, saw protesters waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans like “Free, Free Palestine.” Many demonstrators also carried effigies and images of former US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing them of supporting Israel’s actions.
Tens of thousands of protesters rallied in Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, on Saturday to condemn Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. Estimatedly, around 100,000 protestors gathered at the Suhrawardy Park in the Dhaka University area.
The protest drew support from former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), along with several right-wing Islamic parties and groups that expressed solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
(AP inputs)
