Bangladesh Reinstates 'Except Israel' on Passports

Bangladesh has reinstated the 'except Israel' inscription on its passports, barring citizens from visiting Israel, amidst growing public anger over Israeli military actions in Gaza. The phrase, initially removed in 2021 under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to align with international standards, was restored following large-scale protests in Dhaka condemning Israel's actions. The protests included tens of thousands of demonstrators, with political and religious groups expressing solidarity with Palestine and criticizing figures like Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu for supporting Israeli policies. The directive to reinstate the phrase was issued by the Home Ministry on April 7, as confirmed by Deputy Secretary Nilima Afroze. Bangladesh does not recognize Israel and has historically supported the Palestinian cause. Despite the 2021 removal of the phrase, the travel ban to Israel had remained unchanged.