People from all walks of life on Wednesday staged a demonstration in Rajshahi city protesting at irregularities and mismanagement at the divisional passport office.
About a hundred of them formed a human chain in front of the office.
The protesters later met with the deputy director, Rozy Khandaker, and issued a one-month ultimatum demanding putting an end to all kinds of irregularities and mismanagement.
Addressing the hour-long human chain, Jamat Khan, general secretary of Rajshahi Raksha Sangram Parishad, said that they had noticed over the past few days that applications brought by brokers were taken directly to the DD Rozi Khandkar鈥檚 room on the second floor.
鈥楢fter DD Rozi signs these applications, the assistant director inputs them into a computer, and then passport aspirants return home. But those who come and stand in the queue without paying extra money to the brokers, have to stand in the long queue for hours,鈥� he alleged.
Golam Mostafa, general secretary of the Rajshahi district unit of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh, said, 鈥業n collaboration with brokers, every passport office official is earning a huge amount of money illegally,鈥� he alleged, adding that the person who accepts passport files of the common people is hardly available at the desk.
They warned that they would go for a tougher movement if their demand was not met.
Among others, Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik Rajshahi district unit general secretary Mahmudul Haque and women leaders Rositi Nazneen and Selina Begum spoke at the human chain.
