False police clearance certificate issued in Bangladesh

July 1, 2009

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/259/false-police-clearance-certificate-issued-in

Spanish authorities have alleged that, most of the police clearance certificates issued by Bangladeshi police are false. Taking this into consideration, Home Office of Spain has started canceling immigration status of Bangladeshis in that country en messe. Bangladesh side is yet to give any official statement on this issue.

According to sources, Spanish Home Office started rejecting application of immigration status submitted by Bangladeshis en messe from April 22, 2009. People whose applications are already rejected fear applying a fresh as now they may face even worst situation if they will submit new documents in favor of their immigration application.

Spanish law allows anyone to become natural immigrant, if they will reside in that country for continuous 36 months. As per requirement, immigration applicants are required to collect 'Police Clearance Certificate' from Bangladesh, while submitting application for immigration. Hundreds of Bangladeshis submitted such application along with a certificate issued by the respective local police stations in Bangladesh. But, Spanish Home Office started rejected such applications, as most of the certificates were found to have been false.

On investigation it was revealed that, a Police Clearance Certificate can be easily obtained from a police station in Bangladesh in exchange of US$ 10-50 only. In most cases, police will issue a clearance certificate, even though there are several criminal charges already registered with that respective police station against the Bangladeshi abroad. Naturally the 'amount' of 'compensation' for the police officer varies depending on the nature of the individual, who is seeking the certificate. In case, the person faces several murder and other serious charges, police may even demand up to US$ 1,000 for issuing the certificate.

Some of the diplomatic missions in Dhaka are hiring the services of some law farms as well as lawyers in checking documents submitted by the visa applicants especially for immigration visa. But, it has always been alleged that, in most cases, these farms or lawyers pass the files in exchange of handsome amount of money.

Few years back, one of the Western embassies in Dhaka entrusted a former Inspector General of Police with the task of 'advisor' for the embassy to scrutinize and verify all the documents provided by the applicants for immigration visa. Later it was revealed that the former Inspector General of Police was illegally taking millions of Taka as 'service charge' received from the applicants.

Commenting on Police Clearance Certificate one of the two private investigation agencies in Bangladesh told Weekly Blitz that, in other countries, foreign missions hire the services of private investigators in checking the details about visa applicants or other related issues. But, in Bangladesh, surprisingly, foreign missions depend on the services of law farms instead of investigators in conducting such task.

"Most of the papers submitted by the immigration visa applicants, especially marriage certificates and birth certificates are false. Police certificates never stand as a guarantee to show that the person concerned is innocent as such certificates are most purchased by the person concerned", they said.

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