DHAKA, 24 May, 2021, (TON): Bangladeshi passports will no longer bear the text “valid for all countries of the world except Israel,” officials said on Sunday.

Bangladesh made it clear that it has dropped the phrase “all countries except Israel” from passport to maintain international standards of the document and there was no change in its decades-long policy of travel ban to Israel.

Bangladeshi passports earlier had a clause written on them that said “This Passport is valid for all countries of the world except Israel.”

Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement that said the holders of Bangladeshi passports are still banned from travelling to Israel.

“The ban on travel of Bangladeshi passport holders to Israel remains unchanged. The Government of Bangladesh has not deviated from its position on Israel and remains firm in its longstanding position,” the statement said.

Bangladesh and Israel do not maintain diplomatic relations. Bangladesh says that it will not recognize Israel until there is an independent Palestine.