A parliamentary body today raised question over the necessity of police verification for getting passport as people often become victim of harassment to get police clearance in this regard.

The parliamentary standing committee on foreign affairs in its meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban also asked top officials of the Department of Immigration and Passports so that Bangladeshi migrants can renew their passport within 15 days and without any harassment.

“In case of failure, we have asked the director general of the Department of Immigration and Passports to inform the respective Bangladeshi migrants about the delay,” Awami League MP and chief of the parliamentary watchdog Lt Col (retd) Faruk Khan told reporters emerging from the meeting.

While travelling abroad on different occasions, many Bangladeshi workers alleged that they face sufferings and harassment during the renewal of their passport, he said.

Bangladeshi migrants also alleged that due to delay in renewal of their passport, they faced problems in their workplaces in abroad, Faruk Khan said.

In reply, Major General Shakil Ahmed, director general of the Department of Immigration and Passports, informed the Jatiya Sangsad body that errors in providing information like birthdate, name of parents often lead to delay in renewal of passport.

After completion of renewal of passport, they have started to send those to the respective Bangladeshi migrants through courier service, he said.

He also said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to inaugurate e-passport programme in December while e-passport will be issued from January next year.

“It will take five to six years to complete the works of e-passport programme,” Faruk Khan quoted Maj Shakil. 

Pointing that inefficient and improper government officials are being selected in many cases for visiting abroad, the committee asked the foreign ministry’s top officials to become cautious in this regard.

JS BODY TO VISIT 4 COUNTRIES

The parliamentary committee will go to Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia in late October and early November to get the support of government of those countries regarding sending back Rohingyas to Myanmar as early as possible.

During the visit, the JS body members will hold a meeting with their counterpart, speaker of parliament and foreign ministry of the four countries, said Faruk Khan.