E-passport services launched at Bangladesh Consulate in New York

Bangladesh has introduced the electronic passport (e-passport) service for Bangladeshi expatriates in New York in a bid to reduce their hassles.

Mokabbir Hossain, Secretary, Department of Security and Services, Ministry of Home Affairs inaugurated the e-passport programme at the Bangladesh Consulate in New York yesterday. Sadia Faizunnesa, Consul General of Bangladesh in New York among others spoke at the function.

Mentioning the successful implementation of e-passport activities as part of the prime minister's visionary thinking, the minister at the function said about 10 lakh e-passports out of 15 lakh applications have already been distributed in the country.

He said E-gates have been installed at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, which is the first in South Asia. It has even been established in a small number of developed countries.

Brigadier General Saidur Rahman Khan, Project Director at E-Passport and Automatic Border Control and Management Project, senior officials of Immigration and Passport Department, Dhaka, people seeking service at the Consulate and embassy staff were present on the occasion.