Electronic passports (e-passports) will be fully implemented by December 31 of this year, said Home Affairs Advisor Home Affairs Advisor Lieutenant General Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (retd.).
The advisor made this statement while briefing journalists after a view-exchange meeting with officials of the department at the conference room of the Immigration and Passport Department in Agargaon in the capital on Monday (January 06, 2025) morning.
The advisor said that the e-passport work will be fully implemented by this year. Then there will be no more MRP (machine readable passport). He said that efforts are being made to complete the e-passport work during his tenure.
Lieutenant General Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (retd.) said that the level of corruption in the Immigration and Passport Department has reduced a lot after the current Director General joined. However, it needs to be brought down to zero. He said that foreign nationals who are staying in Bangladesh illegally without a visa will have to obtain legality with the necessary documents to stay or work in Bangladesh by January 31, 2025. Otherwise, legal action will be taken against them after January 31. The advisor said that a warning notice has been published in several national dailies in this regard today.
When asked whether police verification will be dropped for passports, the advisor said in response to journalists’ questions that a decision will be taken in this regard after talking to everyone. Moreover, he also clarified the government’s position on ensuring that the Rohingyas do not get the opportunity to use Bangladeshi passports in any way.
The advisor earlier visited various branches of the Directorate of Immigration and Passports, including the MRP Printing Section, Data Center and Personalization Center, and provided necessary guidance. Director General of the Directorate of Immigration and Passports, Major General Md. Nurul Anwar, was present at the time.
