MRP impasse continues

 

Not a single machine-readable passport (MRP) was issued in the country from Tuesday morning as the Malaysian company assigned to do the job halted their operation.
IRIS Corporation Berhad, the Malaysian company, withdrew its entire staff on Monday as the government did not renew the contract in this regard despite the repeated pursuing by the company.
Meanwhile, the officials of Department of Immigration and Passport (DIP) met the IRIS officials at Agargaon passport office on Tuesday to resolve the crisis.
"No MRP was issued since Tuesday morning," said Syed Ahsan Habib, a local consultant for the project.
On an average, some 12,000 MRPs are issued every day. The current impasse would have a huge impact on overseas travellers, especially businessmen and migrant workers.
A chaotic situation has been prevailing at the Agargaon passport office as thousands of people gathered there to avail the MRP facility.
About 530 people work in the 34 passport offices across the country. Applications for the MRPs are accepted at all the offices, but those are processed only at the Agargaon office.