What should you do if your passport is lost?

The first step is reporting it at a police station. A government mission’s guidance says the previous passport is submitted with an application — and where it is lost, a police report takes its place. The report substitutes for the missing document.

The reason not to delay is more than procedural. A passport is a powerful identity document and the risk of misuse in someone else’s hands is real. The date on the report establishes from when it was no longer in your keeping.

If it is lost while abroad, contact the relevant Bangladesh mission, because the process there is different and emergency travel arrangements may be needed. A local police report is required in that case too.

One preventive habit helps: keep a photograph or scan of the data page separately. Knowing the number and issue date makes both reporting the loss and applying again much easier. Keep that copy somewhere other than the bag the passport travels in, since the commonest way to lose a passport is to lose everything at once.

Sources:

• Bangladesh High Commission — e-passport application