Small printing machines for enrolment and printing of MRPs will be set up in Bangladesh missions abroad.The government is planning to give responsibility of enrolment and printing of Machine Readable Passports (MRPs) for expatriate Bangladeshis to Bangladesh missions abroad rather than to the Immigration Department. Sources in the PMO and Home Ministry said small printing machines for enrolment and printing of MRPs will be set up in Bangladesh missions abroad. Reason being authorities have stopped issuing handwritten passports as per guidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
Sources said that the Home Ministry recently constituted a high-powered committee headed by a Director General (DG) of the PMO to assess feasibility of setting up such printing machines after getting instructions from the PMO. The committee comprises a DG of the Foreign Ministry, Deputy Secretary of Expatriate’s Welfare and Overseas Employment, Director of the Department of Immigration and Passport, Senior Assistant Secretary of the Home Ministry, and representative of the MRP and MRV project. An official from the Foreign Ministry said that expatriate Bangladeshis can be provided with MRPs immediately if machines for enrolment and printing are set up in Bangladesh missions overseas. DG of the PMO, K.M. Ali Azam, who is also the chief of the newly-formed committee, told The Independent that yesterday, they held a meeting with committee members to find out how to make Bangladesh missions abroad responsible for enrolment and printing of MRPs ensuring all security features. “We will meet soon to prepare a report with recommendations in this regard and it will be placed before the authorities concerned within 15 days,” he said.
Director (Admin) of the Department of Immigration of Passport, S.M. Nazrul Islam, who is also a member of the committee, told this correspondent that authorities concerned want to provide MRPs immediately to expatriate Bangladeshis working in different countries.
“At present, after enrolment of MRPs abroad, the date is sent to the headquarters of the Department of Immigration and Passport for printing the booklet and supplying the device after printing through the Foreign Ministry’s diplomatic bags,” said Nazrul. He added that currently, at least 25 to 30 days are needed to provide a MRP to an expatriate Bangladeshi working in a middle-eastern country. If Bangladesh missions abroad get permission for enrolment and printing of MRPs and set up printing machines, Bangladeshi workers can get the travel device in the shortest possible time. “But, we have to ensure security features of the MRP and the required data has to be sent to the Department of Immigration and Passport for update,” added Nazrul.
Sources in the Passport Department said there is need to appoint skilled manpower to operate the machines for enrolment and printing of MRPs. Sources in the Home Ministry said that out of a total 67 Bangladesh missions abroad, authorities have already introduced MRPs in 41 missions. MRPs were introduced in the country on April 1, 2010, to speed up clearance and enhance travellers’ security.
independent
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