![\"Bangladeshi](\"https:\/\/dailyrapidnews.com\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Confusion-as-Bangladesh-drops-except-Israel-from-new-passports-rapidnews-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBangladeshi passports will no longer bear the text \u201cvalid for all countries of the world except Israel,\u201d officials confirmed on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The Bangladeshi passport earlier had a note written on it that said it was acceptable for travel to all countries of the world except Israel. A number of countries, including Pakistan, have a similar restriction for travel to Israel in their passports.<\/p>\n
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But a few months ago, Bangladesh dropped the words “except Israel” from the new electronic passports.<\/p>\n
Since the South Asian Muslim-majority country came into being in 1971, it has openly affirmed its position in favour of Palestine and against the Israeli oppression in the occupied Palestinian territories.<\/p>\n
During the\u00a0recent attacks\u00a0on the Palestinians by Israeli forces, Bangladesh\u2019s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen confirmed the country\u2019s support for the struggle of Palestinians and condemned the Israeli aggression against civilians.<\/p>\n
Recent tensions that started in East Jerusalem during the holy month of Ramazan spread to Gaza as a result of Israeli assaults on worshippers in the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood.<\/p>\n
Israel launched airstrikes that killed at least 248 Palestinians, including 66 children and 39 women, and injured more than 1,900 others. Health authorities in the West Bank also confirmed that 31 people were killed in the occupied region, totalling 279 across all Palestinian territories.<\/p>\n
Speaking to\u00a0Anadolu Agency<\/em>, Imtiaz Ahmed, a professor of International Relations at Dhaka University, said that the timing of disclosing this development was a major factor that caused confusion among citizens of the country.<\/p>\n \u201cRecently, when some Muslim countries forged relations with Israel, Bangladesh expressed its support to the Palestinian cause. So I don\u2019t think that withdrawing two words from the passports will shake Bangladesh\u2019s long-standing moral position on the Israel-Palestine conflict,\u201d Ahmed said.<\/p>\n He noted that there is no Israeli embassy in Bangladesh and no bilateral trade between the two countries. \u201cOn the other hand, Bangladeshi authorities have been allowing the Palestinian Embassy in Dhaka for years,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n The academic said Bangladesh has been supporting a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict with strong opposition to the illegal Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories, adding: \u201cI hope that Bangladesh will never change this position.\u201d<\/p>\n Arifur Rahman Tuhin, a journalist and pro-Palestinian campaigner, told\u00a0Anadolu Agency<\/em>\u00a0that Bangladesh\u2019s founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had taken a strong pro-Palestine stance which was followed by all successive rulers.<\/p>\n \u201cBut such a sudden decision that came at a time when Bangladesh is marking its golden anniversary of independence and the 100th anniversary of the birth of Rahman is unacceptable,\u201d Tuhin said.<\/p>\n He, however, applauded the Bangladeshi government for condemning the recent Israeli attacks on the Palestinians, and expressed hope that the country will continue its opposition to the Israeli aggression in the greater interest of humanity and justice.<\/p>\n Speaking to\u00a0Anadolu Agency<\/em>, Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said the words \u201cexcept Israel\u201d have been withdrawn from the passports for \u201cadministrative convenience\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThis has nothing to do with the foreign policy of Bangladesh, Momen maintained, adding that the decision was taken six months ago.<\/p>\n \u201cThis move will not affect our position … We are strong supporters of Palestine,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, a statement issued by the Bangladeshi foreign ministry on Sunday evening also urged people not to get confused over a tweet by an Israeli foreign ministry official.<\/p>\n Gilad Cohen, the Israeli foreign ministry’s deputy director general for Asia and the Pacific, said on Twitter: “Great news! #Bangladesh has removed travel ban to Israel. This is a welcome step & I call on the Bangladeshi government to move forward and establish diplomatic ties with #Israel so both our peoples could benefit & prosper.”<\/p>\n Great news! #Bangladesh<\/a> has removed travel ban to Israel. This is a welcome step & I call on the Bangladeshi government to move forward and establish diplomatic ties with #Israel<\/a> so both our peoples could benefit & prosper.@IsraelMFA<\/a> #IsraelLooksEast<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/LbOLbm9dfG<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Gilad Cohen \ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf1 (@GiladCohen_) May 22, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\nNo change in foreign policy<\/h2>\n
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