Unrestrained Passport Offices
Since childhood I found people saying, Passport Office is a role model of citizen harassment, the epicenter of corruption and so on. I never believed in it because I’ve always thought, service from the bureaucracy is a matter of receiving like the more a citizen is aware of his/her rights, the better service he/she can have.
In March 2018 I was selected for the Asia Youth International Mun, scheduled on September held in Bangkok, Thailand. So, I went to the regional passport office to have a passport. Entering the office, I saw posters written -
“ We are committed to serve you. If someone calls, threats and even asks extra money or bribe whoever she /he is call at 017*********.
- Vice Director, Regional Passport Office ”
It was just a sigh of relief for me. At first, I went to the Vice Director’s room as one of my familiars who is a local journalist of a television called the Director as a reference. She told me what I had to do and asked an ansar to show from where I need to collect the form. After filling-up the form as I gave it to the officer who was in charge of checking whether everything is ok or not, he just threw it to me being disgruntled, said “ uncivilized, how you don’t know it should be filled up in English? “. Seeing this the ansar rushed to him saying, “ she is the sister of Journalist Saifur Rahman “ and the tune of the officer magically changed and he took me along with him to the room where photos for passports are taken. Probably I was the luckiest one who was able to get the photo be clicked within one day whereas everyone was complaining they are coming for 3 days, one week for the photo to be taken.
While coming out from the PO the man who provided me the form blocked my road saying “ Madam, BDT 3450 is really a tiny amount to have a passport. I can help you if you need it in urgent. Police verification is terrible you know. I can help you everywhere ” Returning home when I shared it with one of my uncles, an Australian citizen, he told me “ Give some money because you cannot change everything alone. ”
After 2 days of it, my granny who desired to Hajj went to make passport, gave 12000 to a guy and got the passport within 5 day’s. It didn’t disheartened me as I was really unaware what were designated for me ahead.
After almost 45 days at May 13, I got a mail from Department of Immigration that something was wrong in verification and I was suggested to contact with the regional passport office. 3/4 days later, I went again, none of the officers cooperated, hence I was sent from this desk to that just to know what was wrong and where should I go. The person at the day first asked for money said, “ Your passport has been stuck at the SP office, It’s a matter of one-two for us, let us help you. ” That day I called the number given there, got it switched off.
Next day I went to the SP office which is situated at a remote area of the town, almost lonesome, being very exhausted I asked the ansar of the information desk which part of the office deals with passport, she just replied, “ what do you do? Why do you need a passport? Sir has gone to thana, you may come tomorrow.”
Similarly, I had to wait for 3 hours to meet the DBI next day, one clerk of SP office suggested me to have a reference to meet any of them. The following day I went with a reference of my College principal but could meet with neither the SP nor the DBI but was able to know my report was negative because my present address and permanent address are the same which belonged to my mother’s and according to them I should have used my father’s.
I got really exhausted as I was asked to correct the initial form and again to come through all these procedures. Also, I was asked to change either my present or permanent address. I got puzzled because I can’t change my address now even If I want as because my birth certificate is carrying the same address. After 2/3 days I directly entered into the Chamber of Vice Director’s room where a meeting was being conducted. At first, she reacted but she was stopped probably remembering my first reference of a journalist. I told her everything, one of them said, “ If she is a citizen of Bangladesh, wherever she lives according to her birth certificate she can make a passport using the address ”. I was disheartened the after the words of the vice — Director that the verification process is totally the responsibility of SP office so I should work according to them and should change the address of my birth certificate too.
The following day, I went to the Union Parishad to change my address they said as the birth certificates of every citizen have been digitalized, there left no way to change it. I called the journalist being dejected and the words of him was like thunderstorms falling on me. He said ‘ Give something for their snacks, it’s a pathetic process ’.
I don’t remember how many times I went from passport office to SP office and SP office to passport. I don’t even remember how many hours I spent waiting in the SP office’s porch fed-unfed. Finally, I met the DBI who said it’s not a serious issue and it can be done. But I had to start the process from the beginning by filling the form again.
In August, I got a call from a sub inspector who was about to verify now and asked me to go Thana along with electricity bill, national identity card and my birth certificate which I had submitted twice. I was unable to go leaving classes in the running week and a week later he called me again saying, “ send the documents otherwise we are stopping your work here ”. I replied, ‘ I don’t need my passport. Send it back wherever you want. ’
On 04 October, I received a message — was probably the generosity of the Sub — Inspector in the ocean of so much cruelties that my passport was ready for collection. I have not yet been able to fetch the passport as I have lost the grief. Even though I missed the trip to Bangkok, more pathetic for me was that my granny returned from Hajj on the first week of September whereas I’m getting my passport now.
Now before going to any government institution I just get perturbed by thinking which path I should follow, the legitimized or the wretched which is much more easier. If I do a calculation, of the rickshaw fare and lunch I had had outside it would be almost close to the amount that my granny spent as bribe. Then what’s the point of complying with rules and regulations rather my time, energy and patience would have saved.
I am not necessarily sure which part of my course studies are relatable with my experience but there are some questions revolving around my head -
a. When the officer threw my form saying it should be filled up in English why he was scared hearing the name of a journalist. Was it because of the fear of exposition?
b. He then worked with the form written in Bengali, then why he showed limitations that it cannot be done? Aren’t these ambiguities unnecessarily harassingpeople?
c. The guest of the Vice Director’s room said it was all okay if I am a citizen of Bangladesh whereas the SP office rejected the file during verification. Does it showing the dearth of coordination between these two institutions?
d. How the person predicted, verification result gonna be negative? Doesn’t it mean it is a regular phenomenon to everyone? How my granny got her passport within only one week if the same authority is working with their full potential for each and every citizens?
e. If finally, I was able to use my same address of birth certificate then what were the laws and rules before they used to harass me saying it won’t work? I just felt like why do we talk about bureaucratic conviction; does it even exist?
I just feel like bureaucrats are making tarps of procedure for the citizens to fall, I don’t want to believe they do it intentionally but I’m really eager to know what are their limitations letting them to do so!!!
