The local passport office in Bhola is yet to start its activities, although the office was established and necessary employees were recruited in March, 2013.
On August 12, 2014, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina through video conference inaugurated 33 local passport offices in separate districts. Ten of these offices, including Bhola, were scheduled to start functioning in the first phase.
Officials concerned alleged that the Bhola office could not start functioning as it did not receive any directive from the Home Ministry in this regard.
However, the government has been spending around Tk4 lakh per month as office expenses – office rent, salaries and other bills, including electric bill – since the establishment of the office.
Talking to different officials concerned, this correspondent has found that a total of five rented flats were being used as office premises that cost Tk25,000 per month.
Assistant Manager Md Mizanur Rahman of the office told the Dhaka Tribune that a total of 18 employees – one assistant manager, two office assistants, one record keeper, one accountant, one data entry operator, three out sourcing persons and nine workers on contracts – had been getting salaries from the government.
The assistant manager, however, expressed hopes that they would be able to start functioning soon, once they got directives from higher authorities.
Meanwhile, expressing discontent over the current situation, Bhola Chamber of Commerce & Industry President Jahangir Alam told the Dhaka Tribune that around 20,000 passports were issued and renewed in the district every year.
“Despite having a local passport office in the district, this large number of people need to contact the passport office in Barisal,” he said.
Although the government had been spending a lot of money for the local passport office in Bhola, the authorities concerned were delaying to take measures, not paying any heed to such huge financial loss, Jahangir Alam added.
Experts opined that the Home Ministry should take effective steps in this regard as soon as possible.