Militants, criminals must not get MRPs: Home minister

Expatriates to get passports in 3-7 days, says DIP DG

Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has asked the passport department to ensure that members of militant groups and criminals are not able to flee the country by obtaining machine readable passports (MRPs).
“Our immigration and passports department is always on alert to prevent militants and criminals from entering the country by procuring MRPs,” he said, while inaugurating ‘Passport Week 2017’ yesterday. Khan was speaking as the chief guest of the function held by the department of immigration and passports (DIP) yesterday at its office in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.
Speaking at the programme, DIP director-general (DG) Maj. Gen. Md Masud Rezwan said that expatriates will get MRPs within 3 to 7 days.
“From now on, expatriate Bangladeshis abroad will get MRPs within three to seven days after enrolment. To provide speedy services, we have signed an agreement with Federal Express for supplying the MRPs within a stipulated time,” he said.
The home minister said the Special Branch (SB) of police was undertaking stringent verification before issuing MRPs to prevent the criminals and militants from laying their hands on such passports.
Kamal, however, warned DIP officials and employees of stern action if any of them was found involved in corruption. He said e-passports would be introduced soon to ease the troubles of travellers.
The home minister said DIP officials and employees would be posted in all Bangladesh missions abroad. Currently, there are only 25 passport wings in Bangladesh missions abroad.
Secretary of the Public Security Division of the home ministry, Fariduddin Ahmed Chowdhury, urged the DIP authorities to transform passport offices into “service centres”.
“We will try to fill up vacant posts, create more posts, and organise training workshops at home and abroad for DIP officials and employees so that they can give better services,” he said. “We will co-operate with you in constructing a headquarters building,” he added.
In his speech, the DIP director-general also urged the government to create a new cadre—passport cadre—with DIP officials.
He said the department has issued 1.65 crore MRPs and four lakh machine-readable visas (MRVs) so far.  

 

Militants, criminals must not get MRPs: Home minister

Expatriates to get passports in 3-7 days, says DIP DG

Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has asked the passport department to ensure that members of militant groups and criminals are not able to flee the country by obtaining machine readable passports (MRPs). Our immigration and passports department is always on alert to prevent militants and criminals from entering the country by procuring MRPs, he said, while inaugurating Passport Week 2017 yesterday. Khan was speaking as the chief guest of the function held by the department of immigration and passports (DIP) yesterday at its office in the citys Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. Speaking at the programme, DIP director-general (DG) Maj. Gen. Md Masud Rezwan said that expatriates will get MRPs within 3 to 7 days. From now on, expatriate Bangladeshis abroad will get MRPs within three to seven days after enrolment. To provide speedy services, we have signed an agreement with Federal Express for supplying the MRPs within a stipulated time, he said. The home minister said the Special Branch (SB) of police was undertaking stringent verification before issuing MRPs to prevent the criminals and militants from laying their hands on such passports. Kamal, however, warned DIP officials and employees of stern action if any of them was found involved in corruption. He said e-passports would be introduced soon to ease the troubles of travellers. The home minister said DIP officials and employees would be posted in all Bangladesh missions abroad. Currently, there are only 25 passport wings in Bangladesh missions abroad. Secretary of the Public Security Division of the home ministry, Fariduddin Ahmed Chowdhury, urged the DIP authorities to transform passport offices into service centres. We will try to fill up vacant posts, create more posts, and organise training workshops at home and abroad for DIP officials and employees so that they can give better services, he said. We will co-operate with you in constructing a headquarters building, he added. In his speech, the DIP director-general also urged the government to create a new cadrepassport cadrewith DIP officials. He said the department has issued 1.65 crore MRPs and four lakh machine-readable visas (MRVs) so far.