According to sources, there was an estimated 1.3 million DV 2005 entries from Bangladesh last year but a large number of those applicants are set to pay the price for faulty online applications.

For the first time, the DV authorities introduced application via the internet for 2005. Prospective candidates were selected randomly from applications submitted between November 1 to December 30, 2003. Bangladeshis topped the success ratio in the lottery by receiving 7,404 visas, with Nigeria (6,725), Poland (6,211) and Ethiopia (6,060) following.

But letter recipients said that mistakes made while typing names, date of birth, spouse's name and other mandatory information mean that many of them cannot proceed to the next phase.

"I have only recently learnt that after the application has been received, a letter of confirmation is sent to the applicant's e-mail address and a print of it should be kept for future reference. As I was not aware of that advice, I did not keep record of received e-mails. Now that can really spell trouble for me," said Mansur Ahmed who applied from a cyber café in Gulshan.

The online system also made computer operators of cyber cafés and other outlets with e-mailing facilities prone to mistakes. Although DV 2005 applications became a lucrative business venture for many opportunistic individuals and firms who promised applicants of assisting them in filling up the form properly, due to work load and lack of knowledge in certain cases, they made spelling mistakes, misprinted addresses or made errors while attaching photos.

There is a specific format for the DV photo and those that do not conform to it will not be accepted.

"Everything worked out fine for me as I had approached a visa counselor of the US embassy before applying. Since everyone does not have that privilege, some kind of public demonstration of the entire process should be available for applicants," said Suman Kumar Roy, a successful applicant.