Harassment of DV lottery winners
Advocate Quazi Raquibul Islam Malibagh, Dhaka
Interview of DV 2006 winners is in progress and will continue till September 2006. Questions are asked on subjects like international affairs, mathematics, geography and history, which are taught in Bangladesh. Since last year a number of people and agencies under the cover of free seminar cleverly collect certain basic facts of the DV winners like name, case no, date of birth, place of birth etc. False hopes are given that the 2nd letter will be made available (in exchange of big amount of money indeed) in due course. The seminar participants are told that no more money will be required before issuing visa but tactfully the prospective candidates are compelled to sign contract that they will pay five or six lac taka after obtaining visa. It is also gathered that financially insolvent candidates are also trapped to sign documentary agreement that they will pay the money after getting visa or after reaching America and when they start earning. Besides the free seminar, addresses of DV winners are reported to be illegally collected from Zia International Airport post office sorting centre. Allegedly a group of corrupt employees secretly transfer the DV winners' mailing address. Maintenance of secrecy at an important department of the government is a sacred duty. By collecting the addresses by immoral means the cheats visit bright clients for sucking money.These cheats often use influential local leaders. It is also alleged that the local influential leaders are offered attractive amount of commission money for establishing their reliability. However, there are a number of qualified lawyers in different towns including Dhaka for performing all sorts of works relating to preparation for interview form of the DV winners. The lawyers are accountable-to-Bangladesh Bar Council and the Ministry of Law for their work. But those 'trade license holder agents' have no accountability at all. Therefore it is easy for them to victimise the simple clients. So (1) The department concerned of the Ministry of Post & Telegraph must immediately take necessary steps to stop leak-out of addresses of the DV winners from Airport. (2) The organisers of free seminars by no means should be provided with copy of the 1st form or basic information. (3) Answers of many questions are required to be provided. Therefore it is wise to ask for consultancy of qualified immigration lawyers before facing interview.
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