The Embassy of Bangladesh in Addis Ababa formally inaugurated its e-passport service on Thursday, 04 December 2025, at 16:30 hours. His Excellency Air Vice Marshal Sitwat Naeem, GUP, NDC, AWC, PSC, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Ethiopia, attended the ceremony as the Chief Guest.
Special Guests at the event included Lt. Colonel Mohammad Monzur-E-Elahi, PSC, Deputy Project Director of the E-Passport and Automated Border Control Management Project; Mr. Shihab Uddin Khan, Director (Administration & Finance), Department of Immigration and Passports (DIP); and Mr. Md. Anwar Parvez, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs. The ceremony commenced with the recitation from the Holy Quran.
Lt. Colonel Mohammad Monzur-E-Elahi delivered a brief speech highlighting the technological advancements of the e-passport system and emphasized its proper and secure use.
In his remarks, the Chief Guest paid deep tribute to the martyrs of the July–August 2024 student-led uprising and respectfully remembered the heroic freedom fighters of the great Liberation War. He stated that the introduction of e-passport services would significantly ease immigration procedures for Bangladeshi expatriates residing in Ethiopia and three neighboring countries, while also enhancing the dignity and global standing of Bangladeshi citizens.
He added that the adoption of e-passport services using state-of-the-art technology would increase global confidence and acceptance of Bangladesh’s passport system. This progress is expected to encourage more countries to consider visa exemption agreements with Bangladesh, further strengthening the nation’s international image.
The Ambassador expressed gratitude to the Department of Immigration and Passports and the E-Passport Project for enabling the Embassy in Addis Ababa to become the 68th Bangladesh mission abroad to launch this service. He urged Bangladeshis living in Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Burundi to continue contributing to the nation’s reputation through collective effort and responsible conduct.
At the end of the inauguration ceremony, the Chief Guest and Special Guests handed over e-passport delivery slips to three applicants as part of the service rollout. Following this, the Deputy Project Director presented a crest to the Ambassador on behalf of the E-Passport Project. The Ambassador then inspected the e-passport service operations and enrollment process.
It is noteworthy that Bangladeshi nationals residing in Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Burundi can now apply for 5-year and 10-year e-passports from the Embassy.
