Police verification for passports to be abolished

The Security Service Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs has started to work towards abolishing the police verification process in issuing and renewing passports. 

The public administration reform commission recently recommend the abolition of police verification for government job recruitment, passport, and other purposes. 

Sources at the Security Service Division said there are 16,000 passports waiting to be issued countrywide. Police verification reports tend to be delayed, despite many people needing their passports urgently. 

Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, chairman of the Public Administration Reform Commission, said earlier, "As a citizen, obtaining a passport is your right. Why should you need police verification?"

In order to solve the problem, an inter-ministry meeting is scheduled to be held Tuesday (February 4) morning at the Secretariat, led by home ministry's Senior Secretary Dr Nasimul Gani, relevant sources confirmed.