Starting January 8, expatriate Bangladeshis will receive SMS notifications for e-passport delivery, a service previously available only within the country. This initiative aims to minimize inconvenience by notifying applicants when their passports are ready. Efforts are underway to clear a backlog of 197,000 Machine Readable Passports (MRPs), with 182,745 passports already dispatched to embassies within three weeks. To combat fraud and harassment, authorized agents will be appointed to assist applicants, reducing reliance on brokers. Additionally, steps are being taken to streamline passport services and improve the application process at various offices nationwide.