Staff Reporter :
The Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has recommended cancellation of the system of police clearance and certification of necessary papers in getting new passports to end corruption in this sector.
Police harass and force people in many ways for bribe during verification in a bid to have new passports, it said.
The TIB revealed this in a survey report titled ‘Good Governance in Passport Services: Challenges and Doings’ in a press briefing at its Dhanmondi office in the city on Monday.
Besides, the brokers in association with the members of law enforcing agencies also harassed and allured people of getting passports. Even, they asked people to give them extra money, the report added.
“Country’s 76.2 percent people became the worst victims of corruption and irregularities during police verification after applying for new passports,” TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said while briefing the journalists.
The passport seekers were the victims of corruption or giving money beyond legal means, it added.
The TIB conducted the countrywide survey from September, 2016 to May this year. A total of 1,453 people from four divisions took part in the survey.
According to the study, 55.2 percent of passport seekers who participated in the study had been the victims of irregularities, harassment and corruption.
It said many people do not get passports at the time mentioned in the slip they receive from the passport office.
The report said when a person apply for a new pass passport he or she has to pay Tk 797 on an average in bribe to police for getting law enforcers clearance
It said over 76 percent passport seekers faced irregularities and corruption, while 75.3 percent service receivers had to pay a bribe during police verification.
Besides, 55.2 percent people were victims of various irregularities and corruption in receiving services of the passport office.
Some 27 percent people were victims of delay, 2.3 percent of failure to dispense duties, 0.2 percent victims of fraudulence and the rest faced other discrepancies.
On an average, Tk 2221 had to be paid in bribe to receive services of the passport office, the report said.
Twenty-seven percent respondents said it took 12 days more than the scheduled time in getting their passports, the report added.
The report revealed that 41.7 percent of the service seekers took the help of brokers or others for getting the passport and among them, 80 percent took brokers’ help.
It further said the rate of taking ‘brokers’ assistance’ is the highest in Sylhet division with 60 percent and the lowest in Rajshahi with 20 percent.
Researcher Shahnur Rahman placed the survey study at the press briefing. Chairperson of Trustee Board Advocate Sultana Kamal also spoke at the programme.
However, the study conducted in 2015 showed that 77.7 percent of people were victims of corruption and irregularities.
The TIB report recommended cancellation of the system of police clearance and certification of necessary papers in getting new passports to end corruption in this sector and ease the entire process.
Sultana Kamal said the system of police clearance creates a huge scope of corruption and to end passport seekers’ harassment this system should be abolished.
She said if the brokers are not allowed to enter the passport office they would not get the chance to take extra money from passport seekers and this issue should be taken into consideration for stopping corruption at passport offices.
