‘Except Israel’ phrase set to return to Bangladesh passport

The phrase “Except Israel” is set to return to Bangladesh’s ordinary passport as part of a major redesign of its inner pages.

The new passport design will feature an image of Abu Sayed, a martyr of the July Mass Uprising, along with watermarks of various national heritage sites and landmarks.

Officials said nearly a dozen watermarks on the inner pages will be redesigned to improve both security features and visual presentation. The new design and upgraded security elements will be introduced in phases once final approval is completed.

The phrase “This passport is valid for all countries of the world except Israel” will also be restored in the new passport. The line had been used in Bangladeshi passports for decades after independence.

However, it was removed in 2020 when the Awami League government introduced the electronic passport, or e-passport, service at a cost of Tk4,500 crore.

The latest move marks a significant change in Bangladesh’s passport design and wording, bringing back a phrase long associated with the country’s official travel document.