BERLIN, July 19, 2018 /CNW/ -

• The long-term contract covers the entire value-chain for ePassports - from security paper right through to eGates  
• The solution includes the set-up of a local passport factory with high-tech equipment  
• The project eases travel for Bangladeshi citizens and increases border control efficiency  

World-leading identity solutions provider Veridos, a joint venture of Giesecke+Devrient and state-owned Bundesdruckerei, has announced today the conclusion of a major contract. The Ministry of Home Affairs of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, acting through the Department of Immigration and Passport (DIP), has commissioned Veridos with the supply, installation, and implementation of next generation electronic passports and border control systems in Bangladesh. The contract, with a volume of around €340 million, will run for 12 years.  

Bangladesh will move from machine readable to advanced electronic travel documents that meet the highest security standards. This includes high-tech color personalization technology to ensure the ultimate color brilliance of each ePassport holder's image, improving visual verification. With more than 160 million inhabitants, Bangladesh is the world's eighth most populous country and will provide the highest output of passports with color photos worldwide.

Major General Md Masud Rezwan, director general of the DIP, said: "Our citizens will get benefits from the ICAO*-compliant ePassports with convenient and secure travel. With Veridos's unique solution portfolio for the entire value chain for passports and their ID production expertise, we have found the perfect company to implement this turnkey project. With their support, we can enhance the technology by which we can assemble the ePassport booklets in Bangladesh. This creates highly skilled jobs and know-how transfer with Germany."

Niels Annen, Minister of State at the German Federal Foreign Office, was present during the signing ceremony of the contract and underlined: "Through the technological partnership with Germany, Bangladesh will gain crucial expertise to prepare it for various challenges, whether we are talking about fighting counterfeit ID documents or terrorism. Furthermore, a comprehensive transfer of technology and capacity-building in Bangladesh will take place. As a result of our cooperation, Bangladeshi passport holders will soon become the owners of one of the most sophisticated and secure types of passport in the world."

Hans Wolfgang Kunz, Veridos CEO, said: "We are delighted to support Bangladesh in their transition to tamper-proof ePassports. The project covers the whole process for travel document issuance. It starts with enrolment, data management, and personalization - all based on our well-proven IMAGO software. In addition, we will provide public key infrastructure and local document production. At the same time, we will establish state-of-the-art border control infrastructure including our VeriGO^® verification platform and the set-up of 50 eGates for automated border control at all international airports, seaports, and land ports in the country."

For more information on the project, visit http://www.veridos.com/Bangladesh

*ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization)

Veridos GmbH

Veridos GmbH creates secure identification and identity solutions for governments and public authorities throughout the world. Founded in January 2015, the joint venture between Giesecke+Devrient GmbH and Bundesdruckerei GmbH pools the expertise of the two largest German providers for high-security technologies to serve the international market.

The Veridos portfolio includes solutions for the production and personalization of passport documents, ID cards, driver's licenses, and healthcare cards. These are complemented by data management systems for personalization, issuance, and documentation, as well as solutions for personal identification, voter registration, and border control. In addition to its headquarters in Berlin and the operating facility in Munich, Veridos is represented around the world including in Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Singapore, the USA, and the United Arab Emirates.

For more information on Veridos, please visit http://www.veridos.com.

SOURCE Veridos GmbH

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