Human traffickers must be stopped

It is appalling to learn about the ordeal of victims of human traffickers lured with the promise of jobs in Malaysia. A report in this paper gives horrific accounts of those who have returned after paying hefty fines and being detained in Thai jails. The question is, why—despite an MoU signed by Bangladesh and Malaysia on the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers, effective till 2026—are such illegal activities still occurring? There are obviously loopholes in the system, with the potential collusion of traffickers with state officials allowing exploitation and rights violations.

The brokers and travel agents are the prime culprits in this scenario. According to experts, they manage to get immigration clearance by bribing a section of officials. The immigration department is responsible for reporting if individuals do not return after the expiry of the stipulated time in tourist visas, which is often used to traffic people. Reportedly, brokers first take jobseekers to Sri Lanka and Nepal, after which they are taken to Vietnam and Cambodia and then snuck into Thailand, before being transported to Malaysia. There have been reports in the international media of Bangladeshis being arrested in these countries, which also creates a negative image of our workers.

Against this backdrop, it is imperative to have an efficient mechanism to monitor and prevent irregularities by travel agencies and airport immigration. After failed attempts to traffic individuals via sea routes that have led to hundreds of deaths, trafficking syndicates are now using other routes. The government must take decisive steps to break these syndicates. Migrant workers are also duped into receiving fake work visas which results in them becoming undocumented workers. The arrests of some corrupt Malaysian officials over foreign workers' quota and other allegations of corruption in recent years show that the Malaysian authorities are trying to clamp down on corruption within the system. Bangladesh government, too, must take similar measures. Both governments must ensure that only the number of migrant workers stipulated in the quota go to Malaysia to work legally and with their safety ensured.

Bangladesh government also must initiate vigorous awareness campaigns so that prospective job seekers, no matter how desperate they are, know the traps laid by devious brokers and travel agents and refrain from risking their lives in the hope of a job abroad. Finally, the government must live up to its promise of providing jobs to young people so that the financial anxiety that drives them to take enormous risks is eliminated.