'Except Israel' reinstated on passports; July Uprising martyrs featured in new design
The Ministry of Home Affairs has also instructed the department to introduce a redesigned e-passport booklet with extensive changes to its internal watermark pages.
Highlights:
- 'Except Israel' wording restored on Bangladeshi passports after six years
- New e-passports to feature images of three July Uprising martyrs
- Passport redesign includes national heritage, culture and natural landmarks
- Religious symbols and places of worship from different faiths added to reflect communal harmony
- Several political and mega project images introduced by the previous government have been removed
- Changes will apply to all newly issued e-passports
The government has decided to reinstate the phrase "Except Israel" on Bangladeshi passports, reversing a decision taken by the Awami League government six years ago.
The Ministry of Home Affairs issued an order today (19 July) directing the Department of Immigration and Passports to restore the restriction on all newly issued e-passports.
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Officials said the decision reflects the longstanding foreign policy, public sentiment and moral position in support of Palestine.
The ministry has also instructed the department to introduce a redesigned e-passport booklet with extensive changes to its internal watermark pages.
As part of the redesign, the new passports will commemorate the 2024 July Uprising by featuring watermark images of three of its martyrs.
The redesigned booklet will include the iconic image of Abu Sayed standing with his arms outstretched moments before he was shot, as well as images of Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mugdha, who was killed while distributing water among protesters, and Wasim Akram, another martyr of the July movement in Chattogram.
The updated design also incorporates symbols of all major religions to reflect Bangladesh's communal harmony, alongside illustrations of the country's cultural heritage, historical landmarks and natural attractions.
The watermark pages will feature national symbols including the water lily, Royal Bengal tiger, magpie-robin, hilsa, jackfruit, jute and tea gardens.
Among the architectural and historical landmarks included are the Shaheed Minar, National Mausoleum, Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, Supreme Court, Curzon Hall, Lalbagh Fort, Ahsan Manzil, Panam City and Zainul Abedin's renowned painting "Sangram".
Religious sites such as the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, the Sixty Dome Mosque, Kantajew Temple, the Golden Temple and Holy Rosary Church have also been included, along with natural attractions including the Sundarbans, Tanguar Haor, Nilgiri and Cox's Bazar beach.
Several politically significant landmarks and major infrastructure projects introduced under the previous government, including the Padma Bridge, Metro Rail, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and Bangabandhu Satellite, have been removed from the new passport design.
