RIYADH: Bangladesh embassy in Riyadh has been consistently failing to provide the machine readable passport (MRP) to the Bangladeshi expatriates due to shortages of manpower and machineries.

The embassy published an urgent advertisement on May 27 asking all the expatriates in KSA to collect the MRP

Following the advertisement, the numbers of the MRP seekers have been increasing massively. But, the service here in the embassy is not adequate, alleged the expatriates

The service is not being provided with the shortest possible time due to manpower shortage against the demand, according the sources closed to the embassy.

Political councilor of the embassy Md Mossarof Hossain told banglanews, “A total of 1,54,426 MRP application have been collected till June 10 in addition to taking picture and fingerprint.”

“At present, the embassy has five machines which can deliver 250 MRP per day while some 700 to 750 MPR are being prepared everyday,” Mossarof claimed.

The official went on saying, “To finish the MRP works within the fixed timeframe, a latter was sent to Dhaka asking 30 systems (computer which configuration is fit for MRP application) for the embassy, 30 systems for Bangladesh consulate in Jeddah and 30 systems fro mobile service across the KSA and 60 personnel to operate the systems and five additional officers for the birth registration.”

“A total of 8,300 applications would have to be submitted everyday to provide the MRP to the remaining 25 lakhs Bangladeshi within next 10 months,” Mossaorf said.

He added, “Following the MRP application, these files are being sent to Dhaka and those files take some 35 to 45 days to get back to the KSA.”

MRP seeker Shorif, who came to the embassy from 500 kilometers away from Riyadh, told banglanews, “Renewal of his iqama (work permit) is not being made due to expiration of his passport.”

“He came to the embassy to renew his passport, but he was told that it won’t be renews and asked to take a MRP,” added the expatriate.

Shorif said, “I collected a MRP form as being asked the embassy officials and left there. A day after, I had came to the embassy again, stood in line from morning to the evening and finally submitted the form giving my information and they shot my picture and took my fingerprint.”

“And then, upon the repeated request of mine, an embassy official renewed my old passport for a year, he added.

Shorif vent with grievance as he has to come again for the MRP at the embassy from 500 kilometers away of Riyadh after a moth.

When banglanews visited the embassy on Wednesday, a good numbers of expatriates were seen long waiting there, they all need MRP.

Several officials at the embassy are taking financial opportunities in exchange of immediate passport delivery and agents also have a good dominance there to get a passport, alleged the MRP seekers.

An embassy official, who preferred not to be named, said, “Supply of MRP to only 10 percent of the expatriates will not be possible with the fixed timeframe, if a skilled team with adequate computers from Dhaka don’t come to the KSA.”

“The embassy also sent letter requesting the authority to issue MRP at the KSA instead of sending the necessary documents to Dhaka,” added the officials.

BDST: 1545 HRS APR 26, 2014