Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and his wife Zubaida Rahman have completed formalities to obtain Bangladeshi passports as part of preparations for foreign visits, officials and sources familiar with the matter said.
While Zubaida Rahman has already received her passport, Tarique is expected to receive his shortly, Brigadier General Mohammad Nurus Salam, project director of the e-Passport and Automated Border Control Management Project, confirmed to The Daily Star.
Sources said the process was completed on March 13, when project officials visited the prime minister’s residence in Gulshan, Dhaka, to clear any administrative hurdles ahead of future foreign trips.
While no foreign visit has been officially announced, sources within the BNP and two state ministers said Tarique Rahman has received invitations from several countries, including China, India, and Pakistan since assuming office.
Senior BNP leaders said the prime minister intends to plan his first overseas trip carefully because of its diplomatic significance.
“The first foreign visit of a prime minister often sends an important signal in foreign policy,” a senior BNP leader said.
Two ministers and a state minister also noted that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, particularly involving Iran, is being monitored closely. “If the situation stabilises, the Middle East could become the first priority for the prime minister’s foreign visit,” a minister said.
Bangladesh maintains strong economic and labour ties with Gulf countries, making the region an important focus for diplomatic engagement. Relations with Saudi Arabia have traditionally been close, particularly in labour migration, energy cooperation, Hajj management, and political diplomacy within the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
Tarique Rahman returned to Dhaka in December after nearly 17 years in London, where he had been living since 2008. He came using a travel pass issued by the Bangladesh High Commission in London. During his years abroad, Tarique Rahman had submitted his passport while seeking asylum, which was later returned to Bangladeshi authorities.
Following his assumption of office as prime minister after the February 12 polls, he applied for a fresh passport. Zubaida Rahman, who left Bangladesh with Tarique in 2008, has also recently received a Bangladeshi passport, with arrangements made for her to accompany the prime minister on future official visits.
