Machine-readable passports (MRP)
Sunday, 16 May 2010
BANGLADESH entered a new era on 13.05.2010 as the country shifted from hand-written travel documents to more secure machine-readable passports (MRP). It was a long cherished desire of the people to have hassle free passports. Previously almost everyone had to suffer a lot to obtain passports. Middlemen earned enough money from applicants by capturing and controlling the total situation in the passport offices.
In 2005, all 187 International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) members agreed to switch to MRPs by April 1, 2010. The ICAO approved the standard of the MRPs, including its security features. A Bangladeshi company introduced the MRPs in a joint venture with IRIS Berhad, a Malaysia-based corporation. It is reported that in the meantime, the passports were sent to different foreign missions at home and abroad following ICAO's endorsement.
IRIS Berhad will work in Bangladesh for three years to implement the project worth Tk 526 crore, to introduce MRP as well as machine readable visas (MRV). The Department of Immigration and Passport (DIP), Agargaon, Dhaka is very busy with the newly introduced project. They informed all concerned that the hand-written passports would remain valid until the expiry dates mentioned therein.
The introduction of machine-readable passports (MRP) is a praiseworthy project. It will take the nation one step forward on the way to digital Bangladesh.
Tasfia Azhar & Ibsan Islam Edi
14/A/1 Lake Circus, Kalabagan
Dhaka-1205
e-mail: saiful_ibsan@yahoo.com
In 2005, all 187 International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) members agreed to switch to MRPs by April 1, 2010. The ICAO approved the standard of the MRPs, including its security features. A Bangladeshi company introduced the MRPs in a joint venture with IRIS Berhad, a Malaysia-based corporation. It is reported that in the meantime, the passports were sent to different foreign missions at home and abroad following ICAO's endorsement.
IRIS Berhad will work in Bangladesh for three years to implement the project worth Tk 526 crore, to introduce MRP as well as machine readable visas (MRV). The Department of Immigration and Passport (DIP), Agargaon, Dhaka is very busy with the newly introduced project. They informed all concerned that the hand-written passports would remain valid until the expiry dates mentioned therein.
The introduction of machine-readable passports (MRP) is a praiseworthy project. It will take the nation one step forward on the way to digital Bangladesh.
Tasfia Azhar & Ibsan Islam Edi
14/A/1 Lake Circus, Kalabagan
Dhaka-1205
e-mail: saiful_ibsan@yahoo.com