Bangladesh has reinstated the phrase “valid for all countries except Israel” on its passports, effectively reaffirming its longstanding travel ban to Israel. This directive was issued on April 7, 2025, by the Home Ministry’s Security Services Division, instructing the Department of Immigration and Passports to restore the inscription.
The phrase had been removed in 2021 under the administration of then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, although the government at the time clarified that the country’s stance on Israel remained unchanged. Bangladesh does not recognize Israel and maintains a ban on its citizens traveling there.
The reinstatement of the phrase coincides with heightened pro-Palestinian sentiment in Bangladesh. On April 12, 2025, approximately 100,000 people gathered in Dhaka to express solidarity with Gaza amid ongoing conflict in the region.
Bangladesh’s position aligns with its historical support for a sovereign Palestinian state and its non-recognition of Israel. The country continues to uphold its travel ban to Israel, and the reintroduction of the passport phrase serves as a reaffirmation of this policy.