The government has decided to include imagery of the July Uprising 2024 in Bangladesh's e-passports as part of an initiative to preserve the historic movement, its sacrifices and the political transformation it ushered in.
Under the revised design, illustrations commemorating the July Uprising will appear on pages 30 and 31 of the new e-passport booklet.
The government has also approved a comprehensive redesign of the booklet to better reflect Bangladesh's history, Liberation War, natural beauty, archaeological heritage, religious landmarks and cultural identity.
The Ministry of Home Affairs granted final approval for the redesign, expansion and modification of the existing artwork.
The decision was communicated in a letter sent on Sunday by the ministry's Security Services Division to the director general of the Department of Immigration and Passports (DIP). The letter instructed the department to incorporate the approved images and national symbols into both the 48-page and 64-page e-passports.
Signed by Deputy Secretary Mohammad Nuruzzaman, the letter said the government had finalized the redesign and corresponding watermark arrangements after approving the reorganisation of the booklet's existing illustrations. The Department of Immigration and Passports has been asked to take the necessary steps to implement the changes.
According to the approved design, the booklet will also feature images of Bangladesh's national symbols and landmarks, including the national flower Shapla (water lily), the Royal Bengal Tiger, the Oriental Magpie-Robin (Doel), the Central Shaheed Minar, the National Martyrs' Memorial, National Parliament Building, the Supreme Court, Kantajew Temple, Shikha Anirban and Lalbagh Fort.
Other pages will showcase Cox's Bazar sea beach, Tanguar Haor, Ilish, Nilgiri, Ahsan Manzil, the national fruit jackfruit, Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, mango orchards, Panam City, the Sixty Dome Mosque, jute, tea gardens and the Sundarbans.
The redesigned booklet will also include the Holy Rosary Church on pages 54 and 55, while pages 56 and 57 will feature Sangram, a renowned artwork by artist Zainul Abedin.
The final pages of the 64-page passport will contain important passport-related information, while the inside back cover will feature an image of the National Parliament Building.
The information page will continue to carry the existing statement: "This Passport is Valid for All Countries of the World Except Israel," meaning the current restriction on travel to Israel remains unchanged.
Officials concerned said a passport is not only an international travel document but also a reflection of a nation's history, identity and values. By incorporating the July Uprising into the new design, the government aims to preserve a defining chapter of Bangladesh's recent history in one of the country's most important official documents.
