Follow rules to avoid being duped by human traffickers: Minister

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Jamal Uddin
Published : 05:30, Oct 27, 2018 | Updated : 20:07, Oct 28, 2018

Despite government efforts, human trafficking is going on to India, Malaysia, the middle-east and other countries. Enticing the gullible with promises of quick prosperity, organised syndicates are trafficking people.
After trafficking, men and women are facing physical torture; in many cases, ransom demands are made to release the trafficked person.
To take effective measures against such a human trafficking syndicate, a letter has been sent from the Bangladesh embassy in Lebanon to the ministries of expatriate welfare, foreign affairs and home.
Lebanon has already sent back 14 trafficked persons to Bangladesh who were detained in Syria on their way to Europe.
Relevant people feel that lack of awareness is the main reason why human trafficking cannot be stopped.
If people who want to go abroad to work are aware of the pros and cons and are not duped through self-deception, this abominable trade can be controlled.
RAB sources say that several trafficking syndicates send people abroad with promises of abundance. In reality, these people are detained in a camp and their families are told to provide ransom.
Last year, 129 persons were arrested in 38 drives with 103 cases lodged.
In the last few months of 2018, seven RAB drives were conducted, rescuing 13 men and 4 women.
To prevent human trafficking and repression, the government enacted the human trafficking prevention act - 2012 with provisions for death sentence and life term imprisonment for offenders.
Home minister, Asaduzzaman Khan, told Bangla Tribune: “we always tell people going abroad to follow government rules; those who do not follow the regulations fall prey to traffickers.”
Our envoys abroad are trying to bring back trafficked people, he added.
When someone faces problems abroad, they contact the embassy which sends that person back.
Saying that everything is done via the ministry of foreign affairs, the minister added: “the list of trafficked people is sent to us for confirmation.”
Ensuring safety of trafficked people is not the responsibility of the ministry of home, he added.
“Our task is to ensure that people going abroad are carrying valid original visas which is done through rigorous checking at the departure points.”
Most trafficked people go to Malaysia and Thailand in small vessels, observed the minister.
We have increased the strength of BGB, Coast-Guards and have repeatedly appealed people to follow rules in going overseas.

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