Passport official, two others held in Sylhet

Kotowali police also recovered Tk 82,500 from the office and took the three to their custody. Two others are clerks Zahangir Hossain and Siraj Khandaker.

They were sent to jail hajat yesterday afternoon after they were taken to the magistrate's court and shown arrested under Section 54.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

The magistrate also asked the Bureau of Anti-Corruption to open a probe into the matter.

An official in the district administration said there were allegations of gross irregularities in issuing passports from the Sylhet office.

Passports were issued in exchange of extra money collected from the applicants or through the 'agents', he added.

Acting on specific complaints from a staff of the passport office, DC Abul Hossain along with three other magistrates went to the passport office at about 9.00pm on Monday and ordered arrest of the passport official. General Secretary of district BNP Ariful Haque Chowdhury also accompanied them.

The DC went to the AD's office chamber and the magistrates made a search in other rooms of the building.

During a search by the magistrates, wads of Tk 500 notes totalling Tk 43,000 were recovered from several file cabinets and drawers. Besides, Tk 39,500 was found in an envelope.

The DC told reporters that the amounts recovered from the office were taken in bribes for issuing passports. Actions will be taken against the persons involved after investigations, he added.

Assistant Director Abu Sayeed, however, denied the allegations.