Barisal Divisional Passport and Visa office has began operation at it its new building on Monday.
The Tk5.61 core project covers a three-storey building constructed on 33 decimal land in Kashipur area near Nathullabad Central Bus Terminal in the city.
Earlier, the office was operating from different rented buildings inside the city bearing limitations in terms of space, security, and cost, said Shah Md Waziullah, deputy director of Barisal Divisional Passport and Visa office.
Opening of the new office on own premises was a milestone in the history of this divisional city, he added.
The new office premises is directly connected to the Barisal-Dhaka Highway with different facilities including police barrack and 100 kV power generator, said Md Zakir Hossain, executive engineer of Public Works Department, Barisal office.
However, a few construction works of the linking road and the gate was yet to be completed, said Hossain.
Previously, on an average, 300 applications for new passports used to pour in the Barisal passport office every day. The number came down to 150 after opening of the district level offices. There is a rush of applications when certain offers are made over employment of expatriate workers, said Shah Md Waziullah.
The new divisional passport office is expected to expedite the process of issuing and renewal of passports and mitigate a hassle free process by coordinating between different government departments, said Dr Mizanur Rahman, member secretary of Barisal Bivag Unnoyon O Swartha Sangrakkhan Committee.