New Delhi, April 13 -- Bangladesh has reintroduced the controversial "except Israel" inscription on its passports, which bars citizens from traveling to the Jewish state. This decision comes in the wake of mounting public anger over Israeli attacks on the Gaza strip.

On Sunday, officials revealed that the Home Ministry had issued a directive ordering the passport and immigration department to restore the phrase "THIS PASSPORT IS VALID FOR ALL COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD EXCEPT ISRAEL" to official travel documents. Nilima Afroze, Deputy Secretary of the Home Ministry's Security Services Division, confirmed that the directive was issued on April 7.

"The letter (directive) was issued on April 7," Afroze said, referring to the reinstatement of t...