Bangladesh’s Ministry of Home Affairs has announced that the country’s regular passports will now feature images of July martyrs Abu Sayeed, Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mugdho, and Mohammad Wasim. The decision was detailed in a circular issued on Sunday, stating that the watermarks inside the passport will be redesigned to include these portraits as part of a broader update reflecting the nation’s heritage and history. The new design will also commemorate the July 2024 mass uprising, with the memory of that event appearing as a watermark on pages 32 and 33 of the e-passport.
According to the approved design, various national monuments and landmarks such as the National Martyrs’ Memorial, Shaheed Minar, National Parliament Building, Supreme Court, Kantaji Temple, Lalbagh Fort, Panam City, and Curzon Hall will be featured. Natural heritage sites including Cox’s Bazar beach, the Sundarbans, Tanguar Haor, and Nilgiri will also appear as watermarks, alongside national symbols like the water lily, magpie robin, hilsa fish, and jackfruit. The artwork “Struggle” by artist Zainul Abedin will also be included.
The circular confirmed that the passport remains valid for travel to all countries except Israel, and the Department of Immigration and Passports has been instructed to implement the changes promptly.