Bangladesh Restores ‘Except Israel’ Passport Clause Amid Public Outcry Over Gaza War

Bangladesh is reinstating the long-standing phrase “This passport is valid for all countries of the world except Israel” in its travel documents, following intense public pressure amid growing outrage over Israel’s military actions in Gaza.

The decision reverses a controversial 2021 move by the former government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, which quietly removed the clause without public consultation. The current interim administration, which took office after Hasina’s ouster in August 2024, has responded to nationwide demands to restore the ban on travel to Israel, a country with which Bangladesh has no diplomatic ties.

“We’ve received the government’s directive to reinstate the ‘except Israel’ clause in Bangladeshi passports,” said Brig. Gen. Mohammed Nurus Salam, Director of the Department of Immigration and Passports. “We are currently working to implement it.”

Clause Reinstatement Reflects Widespread Sentiment

The removal of the clause in 2021, under the guise of “aligning with international standards,” drew criticism across Bangladesh. Citizens viewed it as a betrayal of the country’s firm pro-Palestinian stance.

“We were used to seeing ‘except Israel’ written in our passports. I don’t know why they took it out,” Salam added. “If you talk to people across the country, you’ll see they want that line back.”

Calls to restore the ban have intensified since October 2023, when Israel launched its latest war on Gaza. More than 51,000 Palestinians have been killed, 116,000 injured, and millions face starvation due to Israel’s bombardment and blockade, according to humanitarian reports.

Massive Protests Push Government to Act

The reinstatement follows weeks of mass protests in Dhaka, where over 1 million people marched last Saturday demanding action to end the genocide in Gaza. Demonstrators urged the international community to:

Impose economic and diplomatic sanctions on Israel
Launch commercial blockades
Isolate the “Zionist state” through collective Muslim action
Reinstate the Israel travel ban in passports

Restoring the clause was a key demand raised at nearly every protest since Israel resumed bombings on civilian shelters, hospitals, and schools in Gaza, violating ceasefire agreements.

Technical Delays in Passport Reprinting

While the decision has been finalized, implementation may take time. Bangladesh currently imports e-passport booklets from Germany, and modifying the print template may delay the rollout.

“There are some technical challenges involved,” Salam noted. “It may take another week to finalize the procedures. We are also exploring whether existing passport stocks can be modified.”

Despite logistical delays, public sentiment remains overwhelmingly in favor of the decision, which is widely seen as a reaffirmation of Bangladesh’s solidarity with the Palestinian people.