The new system will involve collecting digital photograph and fingerprint of Bangladeshi visa applicants using high-tech scanners, said British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury at a press conference at his residence in the city yesterday.

Bangladesh will be the first in South Asia and 64th country in the globe where biometric system is being introduced with no additional cost and no extra time, he added.

"The new system will help genuine Bangladeshi applicants. It will protect them from identity fraud and help us to recognise genuine applicants so that we can facilitate their legitimate travel to the UK more easily," said the high commissioner.

"The technology is nothing to be scared of and I think Bangladeshi people will feel comfortable with it very quickly. It's straight forward and clean. The images will be securely stored in a database in the UK and strictly protected by UK data-sharing legislation," said Choudhury.

It will also make easier to pick out those who abuse the system, he said, adding, "I think Bangladeshi applicants will understand and share our desire to stamp out fraudulent applicants."

Under the new system, applicants will have to go in person to visa application centres located in Dhaka, Sylhet and Chittagong to submit their applications, along with biometric features, said the high commissioner, adding that the call centres will remain open round the clock and call the applicants in a week if they are granted visas.

He said the applicants may pay the visa fee through Brac Bank prior to submission of the applications to reduce waiting time.

"This will also strengthen the control of the UK's borders and its migration policy," he added.

A traveller who will be granted visa with biometric features will not have to submit the same features in 10 years, said the high commissioner.

Only the diplomats will not be required to submit biometric features for travelling to the UK, he noted.

Deputy Director of Visa Services John Varney said the new system will quicken the visa issuance process for genuine Bangladeshi applicants probably within one week.

In 2006, around 45,000 Bangladeshis applied for British visa, of whom 61 percent were granted visas, he added.

He told the journalists that on an average, 30 Bangladeshis are sent back every month from the UK for fraudulent practices in immigration procedures.

Varney said the biometric system will also be introduced in Nepal and Sri Lanka soon and in India and Pakistan gradually.

"We shall introduce the new system in all the countries of the world by 2008," he added.