Extreme suffering to get a machine-readable passport.
Expatriates who contribute significantly to the country’s economy through remittances are currently facing significant challenges in obtaining Machine Readable Passports (MRPs). Many expatriates report that their visas are close to expiring and if they do not renew them promptly they risk arrest and fines. Without their passports, they may have no choice but to return home. Those living in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, are experiencing even greater difficulties.
According to sources at the passport office, delays in passport printing from Bangladesh are due to a shortage of MRP booklets, lamination foil paper, and mechanical issues with the MRP printing machine. As a result, the issuance of MRPs from Bangladesh has come to a complete halt. The passport office plans to phase out MRP services at missions abroad where e-passport services are available by June 2025.
However, the MRP service will not be discontinued by next June. A joint meeting involving the Home, Foreign, and Expatriate Ministries has decided to extend the MRP service until December 31, 2025, in order to alleviate the difficulties faced by expatriates.
A senior official from the Department of Passport and Immigration stated, “Currently, most Bangladeshi missions both domestically and internationally are fully operational with e-passport services, so our initial goal was to completely cease MRP services by next June. Consequently, activities related to this have been limited. We are facing a shortage of booklets. However, considering the expatriates’ situation, the government has opted to extend the MRP service period until December 31 next year. There are many new processes to implement, which has led to the current shortage. Nevertheless, applicants awaiting MRP application printing will be expedited for e-passports if they submit their applications with the required fee. Sources indicate that new machines for the MRP service have already been acquired, and passport booklets are also being sourced. The shortage is expected to be resolved soon.
According to the Bangladesh High Commission in Malaysia, over 46,000 expatriates have applied for MRP renewal so far. Among these, 28,000 workers are currently waiting for their passports to be printed, while the remaining 14,000 applications are still being processed. The situation is similar in Saudi Arabia, which is the largest labor market for Bangladeshi workers.
Embassy officials report that more than 100,000 workers have submitted passport applications, with over 85,000 of them waiting for their passports to be printed. In Qatar, around 10,000 workers have also submitted their passport applications. Analyzing the information from the embassies reveals that over 150,000 workers across these three countries are at risk of becoming illegal if they do not receive their passports in a timely manner. It has been reported that some individuals have already become illegal due to passport issues, and many others are at risk of facing the same fate.
In Saudi Arabia, there are approximately 3 million expatriates, and many are experiencing passport-related problems, leading to a rise in illegal status. For the past five to six months, complications with iqama and visa renewals have arisen for some due to issues with MRP passports. This situation often prevents expatriates from traveling within the country. In Qatar, more than 10,000 Bangladeshis are at risk of losing their jobs because of passport renewal complications. The difficulties are also increasing for residency renewals. They have expressed that if the issues are not resolved quickly, returning to their home country may be their only option.
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