Embassy of the State of Palestine
Dhaka - Bangladesh
Omitting ‘except Israel’ from Bangladeshi passport is unacceptable
23-05-2021
The ambassador says he plans to meet the home minister and ambassador-at-large for clarification
The omission of the words “except Israel” from Bangladeshi passport is unacceptable, Palestinian Ambassador in Dhaka Yousef SY Ramadan has said, dismissing the notion that the action is necessary to meet the global standard.
He also said that he had requested meetings with Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and Ambassador-at-Large Mohammad Ziauddin for a clarification on the issue.
“I’m aware of the development. Every country has the sovereign right to take decision on passport or any other issues. Having admitted that, I would say this decision is unacceptable to us,” Yousef SY Ramadan, the ambassador of State of Palestine in Bangladesh, told Dhaka Tribune on Sunday night.
“The decision of the government of Bangladesh has come days after the latest Israeli atrocities against the Palestinians and I don’t think it is in line with the principles Bangladesh pursues when it comes to the Palestinians,” he said.
When reminded of the government’s position that it had been done to meet the international standard, the envoy dismissed outright, posing a couple of questions: “Are you saying that Bangladeshi passport did not maintain the international standard in last 50 years? Are the countries like Indonesia and Malaysia which still keeps the provision on their passports not meeting the global standard?”
“I have requested meetings with the home minister and the ambassador-at-large for the clarification. Let’s see what they have to say,” he said.