Some recruiting agencies linked with slave trade: NHRC

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairman Prof Mizanur Rahman today said a section of private manpower recruiting agencies are practicing “modern slavery trade” by cheating jobseekers in the name of exporting manpower.

“Those agencies are involved in slavery trade in the name of manpower export, cannot be forgiven,” he said while addressing a public hearing of the human trafficking victims from Bangladesh at National Press Club in Dhaka.

Shikkha Shastha Unnayan Karzakram (Shishuk) and Rights Jessore jointly organised the programme on the occasion of “The United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture” today.

The organisations alleged that several Bangladeshi recruiting agencies are illegally smuggling migrant workers, luring them of foreign jobs but the government is reluctant to take action against them.

The NHRC chief said they were concerned of the recent human trafficking incidents. He also mentioned of receiving allegations against many recruiting agencies for trafficking migrants to several Middle Eastern countries including Iraq.

The NHRC had urged the ministries concerned to investigate those allegations.

Prof Mizanur Rahman heard the miseries of some rescued human trafficking victims at the programme.

The ministries of home, and expatriate’s welfare should conduct investigations against the suspected agencies and bring them to justice if found guilty, he said.

Prof CR Abrar, executive director of Refugee and Migratory Movement Research Unit (RMMRU) chaired at the programme. He said the allegations against the recruiting agencies are alarming. The human traffickers had immense influence over the country’s law enforcement agencies and other organs of the judiciary, he observed.

Deputy Attorney General Motaher Hossain Sazu spoke as the special guest.