Plea seeks actions over migrant workers’ death in Mediterranean

A Supreme Court lawyer has filed a writ petition with the High Court seeking its directive on the government to take appropriate action against the travel agencies and fraud human traffickers who are responsible for the death of 37 Bangladeshis in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Bangladeshi nationals, most of whom from Sylhet and Noakhali, reportedly died after their boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea on the way to Italy from Libya on May 9.

Advocate Emdadul Haque submitted the writ petition praying to the HC on Sunday to order the travel agencies, which illegally sent the Bangladeshi nationals through the sea to Italy, to compensate Tk one crore each to the families of the victims.

In the petition, he urged the HC to direct the government to form a high-powered committee in order to probe the incidents of illegal human trafficking and to identify the travel agencies and fraud human traffickers responsible for incidents.

The lawyer in the petition also requested the HC to ask the government to Manab Pachar Protirodh O Daman Ain (Human Trafficking Prevention Act and Suppression Act) 2012 incorporating a provision of death sentence for the persons responsible for the incidents of human trafficking.

Citing the petition, Advocate Emadadul told The Daily Star that the travel agencies and gangs of frauds have been violating the people’s fundamental and human rights protected in the constitution through illegally sending and trafficking the Bangladeshi nationals aboard.

The authorities concerned of the government have failed to protect the fundamental and human rights of such victims, the lawyer said, adding that the HC may hold a hearing on the petition today.