More than 76 per cent service seekers in the passport offices fall victim to irregularities and corruption in the name of police verification making it the most corrupt area in passport service, the latest Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) study has revealed.
Besides, 75.3 per cent of the service seekers paid bribe or illegal money which is on an average Tk 797.
Over 55 per cent service seekers became victims of various irregularities, harassment and corruption in the service like collecting application form and submission, pre-enrolment, bio-enrolment, passport distribution and contract with middlepersons.
These were revealed in the research report titled 'Good Governance in Passport Service: Challenges and Way Forward'. TIB revealed the report at a press conference at its office in the city.
The research was conducted between September 2016 and May 2017 on 1453 persons in different districts. A total of 26 passport offices, out of 67, were selected for the study.
In the report, it was found that the victims of various irregularities and corruption paid over Tk 22 billion in eight months.
Most of the passport seekers did not get their passports within the stipulated time mentioned in the slip. About 27 per cent of them said it took more than 12 days to get their passports.
Of the total service seekers, 41.7 per cent said they took help of the middlepersons or others. Of them, 80 per cent took help of middlepersons. The trend is highest in Sylhet, 60 per cent and lowest in Rajshahi 20 per cent.
The research showed corruption has been reduced in 2016 compared to 2015.
TIB Trustee Board Chairperson Sultana Kamal said that there is an accessibility problem of the citizens in the passport offices.
She criticised the police verification system saying why police should certify a citizen's character although the state has all the information. This practice has become a major source of corruption in passport service.
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