PM opens 10 new passport offices

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said her government is making constant strides to reach the immigration and passport services to the doorstep of the people.

In this regard, she said the government is working to make the country's immigration and passport procedure completely modern through introducing safe travel documents including electronic passport.

She said this while inaugurating "Passport Seba Saptaha-2016" and new buildings of 10 divisional and regional passport and visa offices at a function at the Department of Immigration and Passport (DIP) office in the capital.

The newly inaugurated passport offices are -- Dhaka Divisional Passport and Visa office and regional passport offices in Kishoregonj, Manikganj, Brahmanbaria, Patuakhali, Feni, Munshiganj, Kushtia, Pabna and Dinajpur.

The Passport Seba Saptaha will be observed till April 28 with the slogan "Passport Nagorik Odhikar: Niswartha Sebai Ongikar".

Pointing out her government's steps for development of the immigration and passport sector, Hasina said people usually go abroad in a large number from the districts.

She said so far 1.4 crore machine readable passports and 3.26 lakh machine readable visas were issued by the DIP.

Earlier, Hasina inaugurated newly built academic building of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Adarsha Mahila College.