PM orders zero tolerance for traffickers

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today told parliament that her government has directed the law-enforcement agencies to show 'zero tolerance' against human traffickers.

“Bangladesh has taken strong stance against human trafficking as it has taken an alarming turn in recent times,” the premier said while replying to lawmakers’ queries, adding that the administration has taken various measures to fight human trafficking.

On the already trafficked Bangladeshis, Hasina said all-out diplomatic efforts are on to bring them back soon.

Today’s question-answer session of PM and the ministers were tabled in parliament due to discussion on the proposed budget for 2015-16 fiscal.

In a scripted reply, Hasina, also president of the ruling Awami League, said the government has formed committees at district, upazila and union levels to fight human trafficking.

Besides, she said the draft National Work Plan 2015-2017 on preventing human trafficking will be published soon for finalisation.

She informed the House that Coast Guard has so far rescued some 1,736 Bangladeshi fortune seekers from sea while vigilance has been beefed up to arrest human traffickers.

Hasina said directives have already been given to keep vigilance at the field level on transaction of money through personal mobile banking on the basis of a consensus among the mobile phone operators concerned to stop transaction of money by human traffickers.

PM WARNS BNP-led ALLIANCE

Pointing to BNP-led 20-party alliance’s violent activities before the January-5 national polls and also after January-5 this year that led the country to massive loss, Hasina warned that her government is determined to prevent any such violence in future.

Hasina told the House that Sessions Judge and Additional Sessions Judge of each district have been given power to hold trial of the crimes under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009 to speedily dispose of the huge number of cases filed against the perpetrators of these subversive acts and anarchy.

TEESTA DEAL SOON

The premier said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent Dhaka visit has assured her of signing the Teesta water sharing deal soon.

“He (Modi) has also pledged to bring down the border killings to zero,” the PM added.