Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed on Tuesday said that he has already surrendered his diplomatic passport, emphasising that the move is part of a standard procedure and not linked to any immediate travel plans.

“I have already submitted it. I am not going anywhere. My health condition is not very good, as you know. I do not attend meetings unless they are extremely urgent,” he said.

Speaking to reporters after the Advisers’ Council on Government Procurement meeting, Dr Salehuddin said he has no intention of travelling abroad unless it is absolutely necessary, citing health concerns.

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Responding to a question on whether other advisers had also surrendered their passports, he said several individuals had done so, noting that it was a requirement.

“Many have submitted theirs. It has to be surrendered—it is a rule,” he added.

He further said that advisers would now use ordinary passports like general citizens. “We will get new passports and move around with ordinary passports like you,” he remarked.

Earlier, the Foreign Affairs Adviser had said that some advisers surrendered their diplomatic passports to facilitate visa applications using ordinary passports.

Asked whether applying for visas using ordinary passports posed any difficulty, Dr Salehuddin dismissed such concerns, saying visa processing had never been an issue for him.

“If you want a visa, you must apply independently. You cannot travel extensively first and then expect visas automatically. I have never faced any problem with visas,” he said, adding that he had previously travelled using an official (green) passport.

The surrender of diplomatic passports by advisers is seen as part of an effort to standardise travel privileges and align them with existing regulations governing public office holders.

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Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Sunday said reports claiming that he had surrendered his diplomatic passport are untrue, although he acknowledged that some of his colleagues have opted for ordinary passports to facilitate quicker visa processing due to travel-related issues.

“Here is where misinformation comes in. Neither my wife nor I have surrendered our diplomatic passports. My passport is with me. It is highly unusual that the Foreign Adviser or any Minister would surrender his or her diplomatic passport while the tenure is still in effect,” he told reporters when asked about surrendering diplomatic passports by Advisers.

Hossain, however, confirmed that some have taken new passports, noting that it can make obtaining visas easier in certain cases.

But the Foreign Adviser did not mention who obtained the new passports.