Most of the people in Barisal are being harassed and deprived of services at the divisional passport and visa office, according to a survey of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB).

TIB in association with Sachetan Nagarik Committee (conscious citizens' committee), a chapter of TIB, disclosed the report at a press conference in the city yesterday.

The survey was conducted from November 2015 to October 2016.

Ali Hossain, chief of the survey team, said they spoke to 350 persons who submitted their passports for various purposes, and found out that 71.1 percent of them faced harassment. Many also had to bribe in order to avail services, he said.

A lack of sincerity among the officials, technical glitch and reluctance to provide information were some of the reasons behind the problems people faced there, added the report.

Contacted, Kamal Hossain Khandakar, deputy director of the divisional passport and visa office, said he joined the office in April this year and he was not aware of the anomalies. “I have not received any such complaints from anyone.”