Passport dept terms TIB report baseless
Terming the claim of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) that passport sector has been found to be the most corrupt sector as ‘baseless’, the Department of Immigration and Passport (DIP) today rejected the watchdog’s report.
Holding a press conference at DIP’s office against the TIB report, Brig Gen Masud Rezwan, director general of DIP, said the report which was prepared based on the interviews of only 480 persons cannot be acceptable any way.
READ MORE: TIB survey findings show 77pc passport seekers fall victims to corruption
He also claimed that TIB has taken an attempt to humiliate us--Bangladesh and the present government-- without knowing about the activities of this department.
Selina Banu, an additional DG of DIP, told The Daily Star that they had rejected the TIB report because it was not done properly.
“TIB did not prepare the report following proper principles,” she said.
On June 29, TIB revealed that the passport sector has been found to be the most corrupt one, followed by the law enforcement agencies and education sector in its National Household Survey 2015.
TIB researchers Waheed Alam, MN Alam and Farhana Rahman presented the findings at a press conference at its office in the capital.
About 77.7 percent households fell victim to corruption while securing services from passport offices, 74.6 percent in law enforcement agencies and 60.8 in educational sector, it mentioned.
The survey titled “Corruption in Services Sector: National Household Survey 2015” was done on 15,206 rural and urban households from across the country between November 1 and December 25.
DIP DG Masud yesterday informed the reporters that they had talked to TIB over the reports and drawn its attention on the limitations of it.
Based on the views of only 480, it is not expected to be said about the department which distributed 1.45 crore passports, he added.
Masud also mentioned that it’s not his department’s liability if the people bribe for bank-draft or police verifications which are parts of the process of having a passport.
When asked whether the DIP is free from corruption, he said “may be some employees are involved in corruption but actions are being taken against them.”
However, this correspondent couldn’t reach TIB for a comment.