Gopalganj Correspondent
A three-member syndicate at the Gopalganj Regional Passport Office has allegedly been subjecting service seekers to harassment and demanding bribes for routine services.
Several victims have lodged written and verbal complaints with the Gopalganj deputy commissioner, alleging irregularities, mismanagement and extortion at the office.
An on-the-spot investigation based on the complaints found allegations of widespread irregularities and bribery. According to the investigation, the alleged syndicate operates under the direction of Assistant Director (AD) Nahid Newaz.
High Grade Assistant Amit Kumar Pal allegedly acts as the key operator of the syndicate. Sitting in Room 206 on the second floor, he allegedly controls the office’s activities. Assistant Accounts Keeper Bappu Mitra, who works in Room 101 on the ground floor, allegedly assists him.
The three officials — Nahid Newaz, Amit Kumar Pal and Bappu Mitra — allegedly form the core of the syndicate. They are also accused of using Ansar and police personnel deployed for security, as well as more than 50 alleged brokers operating inside and outside the office, to collect money from service seekers.
Karuna Rani Biswas, who lodged a complaint with the deputy commissioner, told our correspondent that she had to make repeated visits to the office while trying to obtain a passport for her 23-year-old intellectually disabled daughter, Simla Rani Biswas.
“I was mentally broken by the officials’ rude behaviour and threats. Unable to submit the application under the government rules, I was forced to pay a bribe to get it submitted. No work is done at the Gopalganj passport office without a bribe,” she said.
Under the rules, applicants first apply online from a computer and then visit the passport office to submit the original documents. Room 101 on the ground floor is used for receiving passport applications, where Bappu Mitra is stationed.
He allegedly rejects many applications by pointing out errors, creating difficulties for applicants seeking to know what needs to be corrected. The resulting frustration, according to complaints, is exploited by Ansar members and other alleged brokers, who offer to complete the passport process in exchange for Tk 1,500 to Tk 20,000, depending on the nature of the errors.
Applicants allegedly end up paying two to three times the government fee to obtain their passports.
An outside broker, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “We are unemployed, so we work as brokers to make a living. Most of the money we charge for a passport has to be given to the office officials. We get only Tk 500 to Tk 1,000. Depending on the errors in the documents, we collect money from clients after talking to the officials.”
He added that the money had to be delivered to the officials immediately after submitting the file, and brokers risked being barred from entering the office if there was any delay.
Assistant Director Nahid Newaz, High Grade Assistant Amit Kumar Pal and Assistant Accounts Keeper Bappu Mitra denied the allegations.
Nahid Newaz said, “Minor mistakes and incidents of money transactions may occur without my knowledge. However, no major irregularity is taking place in my office.”
Gopalganj Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate Md Arif-Uz-Zaman said he had ordered an investigation after receiving complaints of irregularities and mismanagement at the passport office. “If the allegations are found to be true, recommendations will be made to the appropriate authorities for effective action,” he said.
Meanwhile, passport applicants and conscious citizens of Gopalganj have urged the Prime Minister and the Home Minister to intervene immediately to ease the harassment and suffering of people seeking services at the office and to protect the image of the current government. #EK