In the wake of sweeping nationwide pro-Palestinian demonstrations, Bangladesh’s interim administration has reimposed a travel restriction clause on its passports, explicitly prohibiting travel to Israel.
The Ministry of Home Affairs issued an official directive on April 7, instructing the Department of Immigration and Passports to reintroduce the clause that states, “This passport is valid for all countries of the world except Israel,” as confirmed by Deputy Secretary Nilima Afroz to Anadolu Agency on Sunday.
The decision was formalized through the signature of Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, who currently serves as the home affairs adviser, according to Afroz.
Back in 2021, the government led by Sheikh Hasina had removed this specific phrasing, citing the need to comply with global passport norms. However, that decision ignited strong backlash from the public.
The Hasina administration, which was unseated in August following intense anti-government protests, also came under fire for allegedly procuring Israeli spyware to surveil political opponents despite Bangladesh not having diplomatic ties with Israel.
While officials at the time insisted that the travel ban to Israel remained intact in practice, the removal of the clause drew sharp criticism in the predominantly Muslim nation.
Public demand to reinstate the original clause gained renewed urgency after last year’s change in government and in response to Israel’s increased genocidal aggression in Gaza.
This Saturday, the capital city Dhaka witnessed an unprecedented wave of solidarity with Palestinians, as an enormous pro-Gaza rally—the largest of its kind in Bangladesh—brought hundreds of thousands to the streets.
A core demand voiced in the rally’s final declaration was the reinstatement of the “except Israel” clause on Bangladeshi passports.
Meanwhile, Israel has resumed its genocidal onslaught on Gaza following a unilateral end to the ceasefire. According to reports, 1,574 Palestinians were killed in recent operations.
With the recent escalation, the death toll since the beginning of the Gaza genocide has surged from 51,000 to a revised count of 62,000—most of the victims being women and children.
Throughout this campaign, Israel has devastated the blockaded territory, displacing nearly the entire population and leaving much of the region in ruins.
Moreover, Israeli occupation forces have imposed a complete blockade, denying access to vital supplies such as food, clean water, medicine, electricity, and essential humanitarian relief.
In November last year, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Concurrently, Israel is under trial at the International Court of Justice for genocide charges tied to its ongoing assault on the enclave.
