Own Correspondent: The Director General (DG) of the Directorate of Immigration and Passports was on leave from November 22 to 30 last year due to illness. On those 9 days, Additional Director General Selina Banu was in charge of the directorate. Of course, two days were weekends. As a result Selina Banu served as Acting DG for seven days. And in this time, he has become a ‘finger blossoming banana tree’. He released 500 files of multiple passports in one day during his tenure. Each file, which has been stuck for a long time due to various reasons, has taken one and a half lakh taka for approval. In all, this official has grabbed at least 7.5 crore rupees. It is said that the enforcement team of the Anti-Corruption Commission has questioned Selina Banu in this regard.
Those concerned said that Selina Banu, a direct officer of the Directorate of Immigration and Passports (DIP), is in charge of the Additional Director General or ADG of the Passport, Visa and Immigration Department. As the post of ADG of the administration department is vacant, he is also performing the duties of ADG of that department as an additional responsibility. Above him in the entire Directorate is only the Director General on deputation. Being the most senior officer in the department, everything goes according to his word. He is using this opportunity for irregularities and corruption. It is alleged that many times he is running the activities of the DIP as himself, disobeying the instructions of the security services department of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
According to the sources of the Passport Directorate, Selina Banu started efforts to release the files of multiple passports that had been stuck for a long time after getting the charge of Acting DG. The files are approved and sent to print the passport through the officials in its syndicate in the Directorate. One and a half lakh taka is taken from each passport and distributed to the syndicate. It is said that at that time ‘Korbani Eid’ was going on in the basement of the passport building. Senior officials are aware but remain silent on the matter due to mysterious reasons.
Multiple passports in the name of one person are called multiple passports. Many apply for a new passport keeping the information of the existing passport secret. But after taking the fingerprint, it gets stuck while matching with the automated machine. Many others openly request to change the information. Then necessary action is taken after verifying and investigating the documents.
An official of the department said that at least 12,000 such applications have been submitted for investigation. After verifying these applications, if the investigation report of the special branch of the police is positive, the passport is issued against the applicant. There are also such instructions from the Department of Security Services of the Ministry of Home Affairs; But by disobeying that directive, ADG Selina Banu, who is in charge of the administration department, issued a circular from the department that contradicted the directive of the ministry and created a complicated situation regarding the stuck multiple passport applications. After that, he released the files he wanted in exchange for money by his own power.
The official said that among the thousands of files of multiple passports that have been stuck for years, doubts have arisen among the officers and employees of the department itself about approving 500 files. But because Selina Banu is an influential official, no one openly talks about her. In the coordination meeting of the directorate, if you raise questions about these issues, you will get angry. Later, targeted officers have to face harassment like transfer or departmental cases and transfers even for minimal reasons.
Official sources in the department say that Selina Banu holds the highest rank among the officers of the passport department. Although he was a transfer job, he did not perform much duty outside Dhaka. In this opportunity, he has built a strong broker syndicate. Moreover, almost every passport office in the country has its own ring of officers or employees. Some of the foreign missions also have staff at the Passport Directorate. Selina Banu is the administrative head of the department and everyone calls her ‘Ati Samih’. Multiple applications were sorted out by his followers from different passport offices. They are basically the ones he has stolen money by discounting the administrative power.
The source said that for each multiple passport, Selina Banu and the syndicate took one and a half lakh taka from the directorate. However, Dalal Chakra and his loyal employees in other district offices took two to two and a half lakhs from the applicants. Throughout the year Selina Banu issues such passports in exchange of Rs. However, the matter came to light as 500 applications were approved simultaneously in the absence of the DG.
An officer in charge of the passport department said that although everything is fine with multiple applications, one applicant did not get the passport due to non-payment of money. The petitioner then filed a complaint against Selina Banu in the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Later, on January 25, the enforcement team of the ACC interrogated Selina Banu.
According to sources, not only multiple passports, Selina Banu is also extorting money for giving ‘No Visa Record (NVR)’ seals to foreign passport holders of Bangladeshi origin through the syndicate. Nadira Akhter, deputy director of the department, has been placed in charge of the visa branch for this work. This officer is loyal to Selina Banu and has attached him to important places like visa branch from personalization center. This syndicate is charging 50 thousand to 1 lakh for each passport NVR. A foreign passport holder of Bangladeshi origin does not need a visa to come to Bangladesh if he applies for a no visa record.
According to the source, this syndicate is extending visa extension or period in exchange of money to foreigners living illegally in the country without paying attention to the rules. In particular, African citizens are doing illegal things including drug dealing in the country by extending their visas in exchange for money.
Permission sought to visit ADG Selina Banu’s office to inquire about misappropriation of Tk 7.5 crore by issuing multiple passports; But he didn’t give time. He was later texted and asked for his statement over the phone regarding the allegations. However, he expressed his inability to speak to the media. After being informed about the allegations against him, he said, “Even if there are complaints about me, I cannot speak, I cannot speak in the newspaper.”
Serious information in anonymous letter against Selina Banu:
Meanwhile, several officials and employees of the passport department have complained that when they talk about Selina Banu’s misdeeds, swords come down on them. Because of this, the frightened officers and employees have recently written anonymous letters to the Ministry, Directorate and almost all passport offices of the country, seeking relief from the violence of this officer. Kalbela has two such letters. Serious allegations have been made against Selina Banu in these letters.
It is said in the letter that Selina Banu has worked in the Passport Directorate for 30 years but she has not been transferred anywhere in 64 districts. Once he was transferred out of Dhaka due to irregularities, but he did not have to stay for long. Her husband AKM Masudul Haque Rizvi, a teacher in the accounting department of an important college in Dhaka, is an office bearer of the Jamaat. Kamaruzzaman, who was sentenced to death for war crimes and crimes against humanity, is their relative. Not only this, the couple also rushed to the hospital after the death of Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayeedi.
It is said in the letter that ADG Selina Banu’s house is in Jamalpur. His relatives are also involved in the Jamalpur railway vandalism incident in the last parliamentary elections.
On the basis of that letter, Kalbela found out that no one in her family is a supporter of the government. Her husband was involved in camp politics while studying at Chittagong University. Contacting the leaders of several organizations of teachers who are known to him and government supported teachers, it is known that accounting teacher Masudur Rahman was never in favor of freedom and liberation war. However, he is not seen publicly active in politics.
Sources in the department said that in the last two years, ADG Selina Banu has given several prize postings to officials with iPhones and laptops. If they cannot meet their financial needs, the officials and employees have to be transferred to the remote districts of the country. Less important positions are given. A few years ago, officials of various passport offices in the area, including Mymensingh, had to bear the expenses of his brother’s treatment at Mymensingh Medical College. Officials have to pay gratuity at various times. He threatened the officers and employees in various ways including fearing departmental cases, investigation by various agencies even if they forgot to obey him. In the air letter, the officers and employees requested to be saved from these irregularities.
Selina Banu’s various irregularities in the passport department are being talked about by the officials and employees. But no one openly opens his mouth to the media. Everyone pointed out his misdeeds anonymously.
How is Selina Banu so influential without being a supporter of the government? On inquiry, it is known that this officer of the department is always tactful. When the Director General takes charge, he becomes his man in tact. His subordinates promoted himself as an honest officer. Apart from that, in the Security Service Department of the Ministry, he has been doing various irregularities by managing some officials in various ways, keeping the entire department under his control.