The government has decided to make significant changes to the passport system in Bangladesh. According to the new decision, all types of Bangladeshi passports are being added to the phrase “except Israel”. At the same time, there is a big change in the design of the e-passport.
The decision was taken in line with the country’s foreign policy, public opinion and historical position on the Palestinian issue. Final approval has been given at the highest level of the government.
Earlier in 2020, the sentence “except Israel” was dropped from the passport when the introduction of an electronic passport. The issue was discussed and criticized in various quarters. For a long time, civil society, political quarters and various organizations have been demanding the reinstatement of the phrase.
According to the new decision, not only the word, but also the design inside the passport is being changed. The controversial political symbols on the pages of the e-passport and some of the existing establishments involved during the previous government will be removed and a memorandum of historical monuments, cultural heritage and recent mass movements will be added.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Department of Passports, the work on the new design is already in the final stage. New passports will be introduced to the market in a phased manner. However, the validity of the old passport will have no effect.
According to analysts, this change is not only an administrative one, it is also a reflection of Bangladesh’s diplomatic stance and political message. This decision is seen as significant, especially in the continuation of Bangladesh’s long-standing support for Palestine.
Government officials said the security and technical structure of the new passports will remain unchanged in maintaining international standards. At the same time, the service process for citizens will continue as before.