After a lengthy delay, the government of Bangladesh has declared that it will resume providing machine-readable passports (MRPs) to foreigners on December 15.
Using his verified Facebook account, Asif Nazrul, advisor to the Ministry of Law and the Ministry of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment, made the announcement via video message on Wednesday.
He stated that those who have already applied will receive their passports in the next three to four weeks.
The advisor declared the decision finalized in a meeting with the appropriate authorities on Tuesday. He attended the meeting along with representatives from the Department of Immigration and Passports, the advisors for home and foreign affairs, and other interested parties.
After December 15, foreign nationals living in Saudi Arabia and Malaysia who have applied for passports will first receive them in three to four weeks.
We will then allocate MRPs on a priority basis in nations with high demand. Nazrul promised to fix all issues within three to four weeks.
He addressed the reason for the delay, stating that issues occurred under the Awami League government.
There was a one-and-a-half-year delay because the former minister attempted to unlawfully award the passport printing contract to a business he had ties to, according to Nazrul. The process of canceling the contract and reaching a swift resolution has been somewhat delayed.
According to various media reports, about 26,000 foreign nationals residing in Malaysia have been waiting months for their passports.
