Editorial
Editorial

Bangladesh human trafficking situation worsens

Need a formal mechanism to help victims
Photo: AFP

Bangladesh was downgraded further in the Tier 2 Watch List (where it has remained for the last five years) according to the US State Department's latest annual report on human trafficking released on June 27. According to it the government's investigations, prosecutions and convictions of trafficking crimes decreased over the reporting period. It is worrying to find that the government has no formal mechanism to deal with victims of trafficking, which often leads to these same people being re-trafficked because of inadequate protection. Our paper has covered the horrendous situation of human trafficking over the years and we feel it is time we overhauled the operating procedures and guidelines to help victims of this evil trade. This would include giving specialised training to members of law enforcement, immigration officers and labour inspectors stationed with our missions abroad.

Moreover, the level of prosecution is very dismal because the government has not dedicated enough resources to pre-trial investigations and the Women and Children Violence Protection Tribunal that tackles human trafficking, is both overburdened with cases and is uninitiated in trafficking cases. The biggest problem with trafficking from Bangladesh is of course the inability to successfully address the issue of high recruitment fees which leads to victims becoming entrapped into bonded labour. The problems are multifarious and require political will to rectify the systemic faults that exist. Unless we start making some changes, Bangladesh's position is not likely to see improvement in the next year's report.

Comments

Editorial

Bangladesh human trafficking situation worsens

Need a formal mechanism to help victims
Photo: AFP

Bangladesh was downgraded further in the Tier 2 Watch List (where it has remained for the last five years) according to the US State Department's latest annual report on human trafficking released on June 27. According to it the government's investigations, prosecutions and convictions of trafficking crimes decreased over the reporting period. It is worrying to find that the government has no formal mechanism to deal with victims of trafficking, which often leads to these same people being re-trafficked because of inadequate protection. Our paper has covered the horrendous situation of human trafficking over the years and we feel it is time we overhauled the operating procedures and guidelines to help victims of this evil trade. This would include giving specialised training to members of law enforcement, immigration officers and labour inspectors stationed with our missions abroad.

Moreover, the level of prosecution is very dismal because the government has not dedicated enough resources to pre-trial investigations and the Women and Children Violence Protection Tribunal that tackles human trafficking, is both overburdened with cases and is uninitiated in trafficking cases. The biggest problem with trafficking from Bangladesh is of course the inability to successfully address the issue of high recruitment fees which leads to victims becoming entrapped into bonded labour. The problems are multifarious and require political will to rectify the systemic faults that exist. Unless we start making some changes, Bangladesh's position is not likely to see improvement in the next year's report.

Comments

স্বরাষ্ট্র-পররাষ্ট্র-জনপ্রশাসন মন্ত্রণালয়ে শীর্ষ কর্তাদের বদলিতে নতুন নিয়ম

আজ বদলি সংক্রান্ত তিনটি কমিটির পৃথক প্রজ্ঞাপন জারি করেছে মন্ত্রিপরিষদ বিভাগ।

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