The horrors of human trafficking
The government
must come down hard on all parties involved in this horrific enterprise
The World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is being observed today in Bangladesh and the rest of the world. According to the United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC), human trafficking is often quoted as the third most lucrative source of organised crime revenue in the world after arms and drugs trade.
The constitution prohibits slavery and forced labour, and asserts the inviolability of dignity of a person and the equality of all citizens. However not enough steps have been taken to address the issues of human smuggling and human trafficking. The mechanisms designed to protect children caught up in conflict or humanitarian crises have proven to be largely ineffective and do little to prevent the precarious situation these children find themselves in, Bangladeshi trafficking victims are used for domestic service, bonded labour, prostitution, as camel jockeys and as beggars by begging mafias. In some cases, they are also smuggled off to conflict-ridden areas where they are used for militancy.
According to the UN Trafficking in Persons Report 2017, Bangladesh has slid down to the Tier 2 Watch List from Tier 2 the country finds itself in the company of nations like Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe in this part of the list. While the report does acknowledge that Bangladesh has made significant efforts to fight the scourge of human trafficking by finalising and adopting the implementing rules for the 2012 Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act in January this year, as well as the drafting and implementation roadmap. Is it enough?
Clearly, efforts need to be amped up from previous years, and that has sadly not been the case. It is unconscionable that, in todays world, human trafficking, which is nothing short of modern-day slavery, is allowed to not only exist, but thrive.
The government must come down hard on all parties involved in this horrific enterprise. This means thoroughly investigating, prosecuting, and throwing the book at manpower officials, border officials, and law enforcement officers complicit in the crime. People rescued from human traffickers must be given adequate care and rehabilitation according to their specific needs. The concerned officials must be given proper training on how to identify and deal with trafficking cases, and deal with victims with the level of sensitivity that is needed.
Cooperation among host countries, international organisations and civil society organisations must also be strengthened to ensure the identification and protection of trafficking victims and those at risk of exploitation.
