Most of the people applying for a new passport or a renewal at the Agargaon passport office in the city are being forced to pay undue commission to brokers and the office staff.

This corrupt practice involving millions of taka every month has been on for more than a decade now and has put people at the mercy of hundreds of brokers, who virtually control the passport office and its surrounding areas at Shere-e-Bangla Nagar.

"It's no use applying for a passport through proper channel. You either use influence or turn to the brokers. Otherwise you'll suffer," said Apu, a young man outside the office. "The system here is such that the office bearers will encourage you to come through the broker-channel."

One broker claimed that he made between 60,000 to 90,000 taka a month after paying the clerks and officials of the passport office.

At least 50 unauthorised shops have been set up in front of the passport office over the past year for this illegal business.

"The shops act as security for the customers who strike deals. None of these have permanent ownership or valid documents," a plain-clothed security officer said requesting anonymity. "The local police station gets a monthly 'revenue' of five lakh taka from the brokers doing business there."

Some of the applicants, who talked to this correspondent recently, complained that brokers delib-

erately harass people at the entrance. Some were even roughed up for trying to get their passports bypassing the brokers.

"If you avoid brokers eventually you are likely to be harassed or your money may be snatched," said Kazi Shaeed, a police constable on guard at the main entrance.

Brokers deliberately pick up a quarrel while selling application forms. The forms are available at a nearby bank, not the passport office. At least ten such incidents were reported in the last six months.

Brokers like Faruk, Sheikh Jahangir (who died recently), Khokan, Ripon, Rafiq, Issa Khan, Akram Hossain, who live in nearby slums, have agents all around the city to attract customers.

The clerks do their regular duties like scrutinising the application forms and putting seals on the passports while keeping in constant touch with the brokers outside.

In most cases, a broker and a clerk make money delivering a passport ahead of the designated date in exchange for 'unofficial' fees. An applicant may receive a new passport within three months of application with Tk 750 deposited at the designated bank. An additional payment of Tk 2,500 would cut down the waiting period to 24 hours.

Money also spins from passport renewals, fake seals, forged statements, etc. Even police at the main entrance also make money by allowing people passage beyond the counters for Tk 20 each. Entry into the office building requires a pass which is quite difficult to get.

Higher officials at the passport office have lodged complaints with the police and requested for action.

"I have written to police for action several times but there is no end to the problem," Deputy Director of the office Rafiqul Islam said. "We feel disturbed working this way."

"The Home Ministry had asked me to fetch names of individuals who own the shops and whereabouts of the brokers here. Unfortunately this is not possible on my part alone," he added.

Islam admitted to incidents of bribery and access of outsiders into the office building but defended the employees nevertheless.

"Yes, I do admit that some of the officials are involved in it but they have the work done, don't they?" he said.

There are 11 more passport offices in the country. Last month the office at Agargaon submitted Tk 5.2 crore to the public exchequer in revenue collected from new passports, renewals and others.