Transparency International Bangladesh today recommended to drop the system of police verification and attestation of documents and photographs for issuance of passports as “it makes way for corruption”.
These two systems result in difficulty and makes way for corruption, TIB made the observations during a briefing titled “Good governance in passport service: challenge and doable”.
The TIB study found that 76.2 percent people became victims of corruption and irregularities while going through police verification after applying for a new passport.
Of them, 75.3 percent service receivers had to pay a bribe during police verification, the study said.
A new passport applier had to pay Tk 797 on average in bribe to police, it added.
On the other hand, 55.2 percent people were victims of various irregularities and corruption in receiving services of the passport office. On an average, Tk 2221 had to be paid in bribe to receive services of the passport office, the study said.
Of those, who were victims of corruption and irregularities, 35.3 percent were victims of corruption or giving money beyond legal means, 27 percent victims of delay, 2.3 percent of failure to dispense duties, 0.2 percent victims of fraudulence and the rest faced other discrepancies.
However, the study conducted in 2015 shows that 77.7 percent of people, were victims of corruption and irregularities.
Source: The Daily Star
