Bd Anti-graft body drive against passport broker syndicates

Dhaka, Feb 07 – The Anti Corruption Commission on Thursday carried out drives in seven districts of the country based on information about brokers syndicates in Passport offices.
Public Relations Officer Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya of ACC confirmed the matter to journalists.
He said the brokers have made syndicates with the officials and employees through bribery and corruption in passport offices. The ACC received such type of news.
Seven Enforcement Teams were formed after receiving the complaint.
These teams operated in Dinajpur, Barisal, Cumilla, Tangail, Sylhet, Meherpur and Munshiganj districts.
During the drive, the ACC arrested four brokers from Meherpur, Munshiganj, Cumilla and Dinajpur. The brokers were handed over to the mobile courts concerned district administration. The court sentenced
them to fine and jail terms.
The ACC said in Munshiganj, during the operation, it was seen that the assistant director of passport office, Halima Khatun, has not been checking attendances paper for a month. Apart from this, people have to pay extra one thousands five hundreds for the general passport fee and four thousand for emergency passport. If anyone refused to pay then the officials made various types of mistakes in their passport.
In the Sylhet Passport Office operation, ACC found out that various travel agencies have institutionalized the brokers group with the help of passport office officials.
The ACC team found evidence that brokers in Tangail Passport Office are collecting bribes from different types of customers. They also demanded five hundred to twenty five hundred taka for bribe.
In Barishal ACC found evidence that Police officials are engaged with brokers and demanded money from people.
Apart from this, four officials were found absent in the Cumilla passport office.
Md. Munir Chowdhury Chief and Director General (Administration) of the Enforcement Unit said that to stop the corruption and harassment of the passport office, they conducted such drive. Based on the evidence of corruption, the AACC will take legal action against the concerned people. – Staff Reporter