TDS Desk:

The Department of Immigration and Passport has begun taking action against its officials involved in irregularities and corruption.

Two senior officials have already been suspended, with more names on the suspension list, confirmed Major General Nurul Anwar, director general of the department.

Several of them are also facing ongoing Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) cases due to serious allegations, he added.

Nurul Anwar said: “Those involved in irregularities and corruption will be punished. There is no way to escape justice. The actions we have initiated will continue.”

TOUFIQUL ISLAM KHAN

According to department sources, Toufiqul Islam Khan, director of the Passport Data and Personalization Centre, was temporarily suspended on March 9.

He joined the Immigration and Passport Department in 2004 as an assistant director, with his first posting at the regional passport office in Jessore.

Throughout his career, he worked in Noakhali, Gopalganj, Sylhet, Comilla, Dhaka’s Jatrabari, the Dhaka headquarters, and Khulna before becoming director of the Personalization Centre.

He served as an assistant director for seven years and deputy director for eight years, receiving a promotion to director just three months after completing a total of 15 years in both positions.

During this period, he drew a salary of Tk55,000, later Tk65,000, and currently Tk75,000. However, he has accumulated significant wealth, including eight flats in Dhaka, seven plots, and substantial financial assets.

MASUM HASAN

According to ACC records, Masum Hasan, deputy director of the e-passport personalization complex in Uttara, has no visible income outside his government job.

However, in 2014, he purchased a 1,923-square-foot flat on the fourth floor of Cynthia View in Block-K, Road-18, South Banasree, Dhaka, for nearly Tk2 crore, though the registered price was shown as only Tk41.22 lakh.

In 2012, he purchased a four-katha plot in Uttara for Tk1.5 crore (deed no 6855/12), but the registered price was stated as Tk32.5 lakh.

In his tax filings, Masum reported assets worth Tk77.84 lakh and a career income of Tk1.21 crore.

His wife, Sumi Akter, a homemaker, has a declared family income of Tk1.54 crore, with assets worth Tk1.10 crore.

There are allegations that he repeatedly changed his passport fraudulently and traveled to the US while violating government regulations.

Due to these accusations, a case was filed against him by the department on December 5 last year, leading to his arrest and subsequent suspension. He is currently facing an ongoing ACC case.

With the recent suspensions of these two top officials and ongoing investigations, many other officials are reportedly in fear.

MORE SUSPENSIONS COMING

A senior official from the Ministry of Home Affairs, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that two more directors are set to be suspended soon. They are also facing ACC cases.

These officials were considered “unstoppable” during the previous Awami League government and were already accused of corruption at the time, with cases filed against them.

ABDULLAH AL MAMUN

Department sources indicate that during his tenure as director of the Dhaka Divisional Passport Office, Abdullah Al Mamun operated with unchecked authority.

A close associate of former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former inspector general of police Benazir Ahmed, he ignored regulations, disregarded hierarchy, and treated even senior officials with disdain.

This powerful official openly refused to comply with the director general’s orders and even threatened to file cases against the additional director general, as per the sources.

His influence extended beyond his office, causing distress among officials at the department’s headquarters.

However, an ACC investigation has found substantial evidence of his involvement in corruption, and he has already been charge-sheeted in an ongoing case.

At least 15 serious allegations against him have been proven, and the department has requested his dismissal from the ministry.

Abdullah Al Mamun is also accused in an ACC case for illegally issuing a passport to former IGP Benazir Ahmed.

A top ministry official confirmed that he could be suspended at any moment.

Efforts to contact Abdullah Al Mamun for comments were unsuccessful.

SAIDUL ISLAM

Another high-ranking official, Saidul Islam, was also considered “unstoppable” in the department. He allegedly accepted bribes openly.

According to ACC investigation records, while working at the Mymensingh office, he bypassed regulations and issued urgent passports under ordinary fees using blank passports and forged No Objection Certificates (NOCs), amassing a fortune.

WITH ILLEGALLY ACQUIRED WEALTH, HE PURCHASED:

A 10-bigha fish farm in Santhia, Pabna

A building and 10 decimals of land in Kashiani Bazar

A 20-bigha farm

29 and 65 decimal plots in Narsingdi for a factory

A plot and a flat in Uttara

A five-katha plot in Chandrima Housing near Bosila embankment

17 katha of land in Shewrapara

A 2,200-square-foot flat on Iqbal Road, Mohammadpur

Two flats in Dhanmondi

He registered these assets under different names.

The ACC’s investigation into Saidul Islam is ongoing, and a responsible department official has confirmed that he may also be suspended soon.

Attempts to reach Saidul Islam for comments were unsuccessful.

LARGER CRACKDOWN UNDERWAY

A senior ministry official, speaking anonymously, said that over ten officials and employees are currently on the suspension list.

The ministry has sufficient evidence of bribery, corruption, and irregularities against them. Actions will be taken against them in phases, the official added.