A large number of Rohingyas went abroad many years ago using Bangladeshi passports due to Bangladesh’s own mistakes, Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said on Wednesday, stressing that holding a passport does not make them citizens. “Due to our own mistakes, a large number of Rohingyas went abroad with Bangladeshi passports many years ago. At that time, the passports were handwritten, and there were numerous allegations of corruption,” he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “The situation is such that those who went with our passports are being pressured by the Saudis to have their passports renewed by us. Just know this: we tried to avoid doing it, but due to our other interests, we ultimately decided to give Bangladeshi passports to these 69,000 Rohingyas.

Source: Dhaka Tribune January 28, 2026 12:51 UTC