Maldives and Bangladesh reinstate anti-Israel travel restrictions
Maldives bans Israeli travellers; Bangladesh reintroduces passport clause barring entry to Israelis
The Maldives and Bangladesh have introduced fresh travel restrictions on Israelis in what both governments describe as a gesture of support for Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Maldivian lawmakers voted on Monday to ban entry to Israeli passport holders, with the decision swiftly ratified by President Mohamed Muizzu. In a statement, his office said the move demonstrates the Maldivian government’s “resolute solidarity” with the Palestinian people and reflects its continued condemnation of “Israel’s ongoing atrocities”.
The new regulation amends the country’s Immigration Act to bar Israeli citizens from visiting the Indian Ocean nation. However, individuals with dual nationality may still be allowed to enter, provided they use a passport from a different country.
Although the policy was initially passed in 2024, its implementation was delayed following pushback from international partners. Domestic political pressure has grown significantly since the start of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, prompting renewed calls for action.
The president also revealed plans to send a special envoy to assess humanitarian conditions in Palestinian territories and to launch a national fundraising initiative titled Maldives in Solidarity with Palestine.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry responded by advising all citizens, including those with dual citizenship, to avoid travel to the Maldives and urged those already in the country to leave, citing limited diplomatic and consular services.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh has reinstated a decades-old travel restriction that prevents its citizens from visiting Israel. The clause, which had been removed in 2021, will now reappear in Bangladeshi passports, stating they are “valid for all countries except Israel”.
The change was confirmed by Nilima Afroze, a deputy secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, through the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha news agency. “The director general of the department of immigration and passports was asked to take necessary measures to implement this change,” Afroze was quoted as saying by The Daily Star, citing AFP.
Neither country maintains diplomatic ties with Israel, and both have consistently voiced strong support for the Palestinian cause. Muslims account for over 90 percent of the population in both nations.
These developments come amid a wider wave of anti-Israel sentiment across parts of the Muslim world, intensifying since the Hamas-led attack on 7 October and Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza.
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