Public suffering at Ctg passport office

Every day, thousands of citizens visit the Chattogram Passport Office in search of essential services. However, many are met with long queues, indifferent officials, erratic service, and the pervasive influence of brokers. The result is immense suffering for ordinary applicants.

Despite completing the online application process and submitting all required documents, many are still made to wait for hours. Files are often rejected on flimsy grounds, while those who go through brokers see their work completed swiftly-an alarming sign of systemic corruption. Such discrepancies not only undermine public trust but also degrade the integrity of a vital state institution.

A passport is a basic right, not a privilege to be earned through bribery or humiliation. It is deeply unjust that citizens must endure harassment to obtain what is legally theirs. The situation is especially distressing for those preparing to travel abroad for work or education, who face unnecessary delays and emotional distress.

To address this, urgent reforms are essential. The passport office must adopt transparent administrative practices, ensure the effective use of technology, and implement strict measures to eliminate the broker culture. There must also be a functional complaint mechanism with swift and fair resolutions. Above all, officials must be trained to behave respectfully and professionally with the public.

Following the interim government's decision to eliminate the police verification process for passport applicants, incidents of harassment and corruption have significantly decreased. However, the passport office still needs to greatly improve its efficiency to fully eradicate corruption and ensure effective service delivery. Streamlining internal procedures and leveraging digital technologies could play a crucial role in achieving these goals.

Access to government services is not a favour, it is a right. That right must be safeguarded at all government offices across the country.

Rashedul Islam Akib

Student

University of Chittagong

akibh1298@gmail.com