Renovation work has started at the Narayanganj Regional Passport Office, which was damaged during attacks, vandalism, and arson during student and public protests. Service operations at this regional office are expected to resume soon.
A visit to the passport office area on Thursday (December 5) revealed the progress. The building has undergone preliminary repairs, repainting, and preparation. Necessary furniture is also being brought in.
The office has been completely non-operational for the past four months due to the fire damage, causing difficulties for residents seeking to renew expired passports or apply for new ones.
Additionally, the destruction of 8,000 passports in the fire has left affected citizens in a state of uncertainty. Locals are calling for the office to reopen as soon as possible.
Reports indicate that during an anti-discrimination student protest on the night of July 18, the Narayanganj Regional Passport Office was attacked. Hundreds of people broke into the building, looted, and set fire to the four-story office.
The fire destroyed servers, critical files, documents, and approximately 8,000 prepared passports, turning the government office into rubble. The estimated loss amounted to around three crore taka, according to officials.
Since the incident, the Narayanganj Regional Passport Office has remained closed, causing significant inconvenience for local residents. Hundreds of people seeking services are being turned away daily. To address this issue, services for the seven police station areas of Narayanganj have been distributed across three neighboring districts. Services for the general population of Araihazar and Sonargaon police stations have already begun in these alternate locations.
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