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Initiatives to combat human trafficking inadequate

Speakers say at discussion

Staff Correspondent
Legal instruments and policies for combating human trafficking in Bangladesh are limited to paper only - thanks to the government's inadequate efforts in implementing those, said migration experts and human rights defenders yesterday.
Such ineptitude has been jeopardising thousands of lives at home and abroad, denying the victims due justice, while the inertia of the government is also tarnishing the country's image globally, they said at a discussion marking the World Day against Trafficking in Persons.
A platform of 17 national and international organisations, including donor agencies, arranged the discussion at the capital's Jatiya Press Club.
The Bangladesh Counter Trafficking-in-Persons (BC/TIP), a USAID funded programme, implemented by Winrock International, coordinated the initiative. They also organised a human chain in front of the press club marking the day.
Referring to data of the police headquarters, Khandoker Shohei Rana, prevention and communications manager of BC/TIP, said 4,152 cases were filed since the enactment of the Prevention and Suppression of Human
Trafficking Act-2012. Reading out a written statement, Shohei said 778 human trafficking cases were filed in 2017 with only one successful conviction. In the first six months of2018,267 cases were filed with four successful convictions.
He also said 940 complaints were made to the call centre of Wage Earners Welfare Board in the first half of this year and 95 percent of those were made from the Middle East.
Speaking at the discussion, National Human Rights Commission Chairman Kazi Reazul Hoque said human trafficking has been occurring in Bangladesh due to “negligence in duty" and syndicates of unscrupulous middlemen.
Separate tribunals to deal with trafficking cases have not been established yet. Women and children repression prevention tribunals are tasked with additional duty to deal with the cases but they could not provide expected results.
He also alleged that the manpower sector has been handled by unqualified people who are sending unskilled workers abroad, resulting in frequent incidents of abuse.
AKM Masud Ali, executive director of Integrated Community and Industrial Development Initiative in Bangladesh, said a lack of government initiatives, coordination among institutions and inadequate budget allocations are challenges in fighting trafficking.
Currently Bangladesh's position is in the "Tier 2 Watch List" of the US State Department's annual trafficking in persons report. Further demotion in the list may cause economic sanctions on Bangladesh, he added.
Abul Kalam Azad, additional superintendent of police (Dhaka range), said a delay in reporting of trafficking by its victims makes it difficult for police to aprehend the criminals.
Vincent Gule, protection officer of UNHCR in Bangladesh, among others, spoke at the event.