Alliance with coastal forces of 4 countries envisaged

Curbing human trafficking

The government is planning to sign memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with the coastal forces of Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia to put an end to human trafficking through waterways.
The home ministry recently prepared a draft MoU and sent it to the Myanmar government seeking its approval,  sources in the ministry and Coast Guard said.
The home ministry will be writing to the foreign ministry, urging it to take steps to sign MoUs with the coast guards of Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, the sources added.
The government has taken the initiative as a number of Bangladeshis were trafficked to Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia from the country's southeast coast.
State minister for home affairs, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, told The Independent that they will take further steps after receiving the draft MoU from the Myanmar authorities.
“As a friendly country, we are expecting a positive response from the Myanmar government on the issue. We have taken the initiative to sign MoUs with the coast guards of Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia to stop illegal migration through waterways,” he added.
The state minister said they are strengthening the activities of the Coast Guard by providing modern equipment with a view to stopping smuggling and human trafficking.
The Director General (DG) of Bangladesh Coast Guard, Rear Admiral Mohammad Makbul Hossain, said they have sent a proposal to the home ministry to sign an MoU with the Myanmar maritime authorities to stop human trafficking. “But we do not know  the fate of the proposal,” he said.
There is no Coast Guard in Myanmar, though it has a naval force and a maritime wing of the Border Guard Police.
 “We can sign the MoU with the maritime force of the neighbour to stop human trafficking. We will need to sign MoUs, or some other arrangement, with the coast guards of Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia to share information on human trafficking and related matters,” he said.
More than 4,000 people have landed in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar and Bangladesh since Thailand launched a crackdown on gangs of human traffickers in May this year. So far, 276 Bangladeshi trafficking victims have returned from Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Of them, 150 from Myanmar, 47 from Bangkok, 18 from Indonesia and 61 from Malaysia.
The returnees from Malaysia reached Dhaka yesterday evening. A flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the victims reached Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 5pm. The returnees were rescued by the Malaysian authorities from the Andaman Sea last month.
A number of people are reported to have been killed by traffickers, mainly in Thailand and Malaysia. The Malaysian police discovered at least 140 graves at 28 suspected people-smuggling camps along its northern border last month. Another 139 graves were found in Thailand.
Meanwhile, a total of 18 people, who were trafficked to Thailand, returned home in Jessore and nearby districts over the past three days, said Binoy Krishna Mallick, executive director, Rights Jessore, a human rights organisation.
Mintu Mia, uncle of returnee Parvez Hossain, said his nephew had to languish in a jungle in Thailand after being trafficked there about nine months ago. He returned home on Monday at the initiatives of the government.

Alliance with coastal forces of 4 countries envisaged

Curbing human trafficking

The government is planning to sign memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with the coastal forces of Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia to put an end to human trafficking through waterways. The home ministry recently prepared a draft MoU and sent it to the Myanmar government seeking its approval, sources in the ministry and Coast Guard said. The home ministry will be writing to the foreign ministry, urging it to take steps to sign MoUs with the coast guards of Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, the sources added. The government has taken the initiative as a number of Bangladeshis were trafficked to Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia from the countrys southeast coast. State minister for home affairs, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, told The Independent that they will take further steps after receiving the draft MoU from the Myanmar authorities. As a friendly country, we are expecting a positive response from the Myanmar government on the issue. We have taken the initiative to sign MoUs with the coast guards of Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia to stop illegal migration through waterways, he added. The state minister said they are strengthening the activities of the Coast Guard by providing modern equipment with a view to stopping smuggling and human trafficking. The Director General (DG) of Bangladesh Coast Guard, Rear Admiral Mohammad Makbul Hossain, said they have sent a proposal to the home ministry to sign an MoU with the Myanmar maritime authorities to stop human trafficking. But we do not know the fate of the proposal, he said. There is no Coast Guard in Myanmar, though it has a naval force and a maritime wing of the Border Guard Police. We can sign the MoU with the maritime force of the neighbour to stop human trafficking. We will need to sign MoUs, or some other arrangement, with the coast guards of Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia to share information on human trafficking and related matters, he said. More than 4,000 people have landed in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar and Bangladesh since Thailand launched a crackdown on gangs of human traffickers in May this year. So far, 276 Bangladeshi trafficking victims have returned from Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Of them, 150 from Myanmar, 47 from Bangkok, 18 from Indonesia and 61 from Malaysia. The returnees from Malaysia reached Dhaka yesterday evening. A flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the victims reached Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 5pm. The returnees were rescued by the Malaysian authorities from the Andaman Sea last month. A number of people are reported to have been killed by traffickers, mainly in Thailand and Malaysia. The Malaysian police discovered at least 140 graves at 28 suspected people-smuggling camps along its northern border last month. Another 139 graves were found in Thailand. Meanwhile, a total of 18 people, who were trafficked to Thailand, returned home in Jessore and nearby districts over the past three days, said Binoy Krishna Mallick, executive director, Rights Jessore, a human rights organisation. Mintu Mia, uncle of returnee Parvez Hossain, said his nephew had to languish in a jungle in Thailand after being trafficked there about nine months ago. He returned home on Monday at the initiatives of the government.