Wanted: better service
On Tuesday 9th May 2006 we undertook an hour 's journey to Manchester from York for matters relating to passports. I shall not delve here on atrocious costs of that neither the illogical pricing ( the issue of a new passport and a renewal are the same) of various services but what transpired there should be sufficiently self - explanatory.
Accompanying me were two dual (UK-BD) passport holders. They needed a replacement passport (expiry of ten years) and I needed a renewal only. While leaving York we rang up ( incidentally the phones in our missions in Manchester & London will ring endlessly till someone responds) to discuss the requirements but nobody answered. We had a copy of a form from our mission in London and once at Manchester, the dealing clerk at the counter refused to discuss the requirements stipulated in the form from London .... ' "This is Manchester High Commission and not London HC," he stated. My mind flashed back 35 years to Paki (a derogatory term here in UK) dominance of Bangladesh. Is this what we fought for ? I enquired if this Mission was representing BD or some other country. Seeing my rage and aggressive countenance he meekly saw my papers and said everything was in order and that as stipulated I will have it back after the expiry of 14 days. I wanted it to have it posted to me but they were unable to provide that service though it is mentioned in the form. He, however, gave a valid (in the context of Bangladesh) reason for that (just in case it gets lost!). Millions of passports are dealt with by the UK Home Office and Royal Mail and nobody so far has expressed any apprehension as such but why BD Mission?
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. I was told umpteen times by restaurant owners in UK that BD Missions all over UK were extremely helpful for a very paltry amount of greasing. I assured them that such practices are not what we should be encouraging and I shall exert pressure from the top to streamline those at the bottom. Alas, it appeared that this paltry greasing at the base of the pyramid defies gravitational pull!