Use of a passport

By A citizen Dhaka
22 September 2005, 18:00 PM
The holder of an expired passport cannot travel; but the information about the holder is still valid. I went to an NC bank to open a new account, and submitted my expired passport as identification paper. It was not accepted, as the validity of the passport had expired. But the information in the passport had not expired. An official clarification is solicited on this point. The passport was not renewed as it was not necessary to travel (in old age). Similarly, an educational certificate issued by an institution or university does not expire- it is permanent.

The bank also imposed an unpractical conditionthe application had to be vetted by a holder of an account in the bank. I told the officer that I did not know anyone, and I was not expected to go about and ask strangers whether he had an account with the bank. I went to a foreign bank and was able to open an account on the spot.

Bureaucratic practices have to be updated and simplified.