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Wednesday | September 23, 2026 | Dhaka

Lost passport? you’ll need cop verification

 Staff Reporter
 Published: 12:01 AM, 23 September 2026  Updated: 11:24 PM, 22 September 2026

The government has tightened rules for reissuing passports that are lost, stolen or damaged, citing a sharp rise in applications for replacement travel documents and concerns over their misuse.

The Home Ministry issued the new guidelines on September 21, introducing several measures aimed at preventing human trafficking, illegal entry and other unlawful activities involving passports.

Under the new rules, anyone who loses or damages a passport must immediately report it online through the Department of Immigration and Passports website and file a general diary (GD) with the nearest police station.

The police must verify the GD and submit a report within 72 hours. If the report is not received within that period, the applicant may submit a copy of the GD and apply for a new passport after a “Lost Circular” is issued.

The ministry’s Immigration-4 branch said passports are highly sensitive travel documents and must be protected against misuse. If a visa agency, individual or organisation unlawfully withholds a passport and it cannot be recovered, the previous passport may be revoked and a new one issued.

Information on lost or stolen passports will be updated in the Special Branch’s Immigration Management System (IMS), while INTERPOL will be notified when necessary.

For Bangladeshis who lose their passports abroad, the relevant Bangladesh embassy or high commission must be informed. The mission will issue a Lost Circular and complete the reissuance process.

A reissued passport will carry the notation, “Previous Passport is Reported to be Lost,” on its data page. Basic information such as the holder’s name, parents’ names and date of birth cannot be changed during reissuance.

A revoked passport will remain invalid for travel even if it is later recovered. The holder must immediately inform the relevant authority or police station so that the document can be deactivated.

No additional penalty will be imposed for a first-time loss or damage beyond the prescribed passport fee. However, anyone who loses a passport again will have to pay an additional Tk10,000 penalty.

The directive, signed by Deputy Secretary Mohammad Nuruzzaman, came into effect on September 21.