ZCZC
BSS-20
MEETING-HUMAN-TRAFFICKING
Govt urged to take stern action against human traffickers
DHAKA, Jan 16, 2019 (BSS) – Trade union leaders, labour lawyers and
rights activists at a discussion today urged the government to take stern
action against human traffickers and bring them to justice.
They also called upon the government to take measures to protect the
migrant workers from trafficking.
Solidarity Center-Bangladesh Office arranged the discussion on ‘Analysis
and Application of the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act,
2012′ at a city hotel here, a press release said.
Additional Secretary of the Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment
Ministry Dr Ahmed Munirus Saleheen, Solidarity Center Country Programme
Director Christopher K Johnson, and its Deputy Country Programme Director
Kelly Fay Rodriguez spoke at the meeting.
Senior advocate at Jessore Judge Court Saleha Begum made an analytical
presentation on the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act-2012.
Addressing the meeting, Munirus Saleheen said trafficking in migration is
now a big challenge for Bangladesh, but the government is working
relentlessly to stop human trafficking.
About the recently adopted Global Compact on Migration, he said the
government is working sincerely to ensure safe, orderly, regular and
responsible migration from Bangladesh in light of the global instrument.
Saleheen urged the stakeholders concerned to extend their cooperation to
the government efforts to check human trafficking.
Christopher K Johnson said: “It is no longer sufficient for us to only
consider what is best for our community. Our understanding of local law and
international instruments is necessary if we seek to safeguard human rights
within and outside of our national boarder”.
In her presentation, Saleha Begum said human trafficking is perpetrated
in network and the act has addressed every stage of the trafficking process,
including extra-regional jurisdictions as the crime involves multiple
nations.
She stressed signing bilateral or multinational agreements between the
countries of origins and the destinations to check the trafficking at all
stages.
Trade unionist and founder of the AWAJ Foundation Nazma Akter, Labour
lawyer AKM Nasim, Bangladeshi Ovibashi Mohila Sramik Association chairman
Lily Jahan, BOMSA director Sumaiya Islam, trade unionist Kamrul Hasan, Awaj
Foundation director Anisur Rahman Khan, WARBE Development Foundation director
Jasiya Khatoon and New Age journalist Md Owasim Uddin Bhuyan also spoke at
the meeting.
According to data of the Human Trafficking Cell of Police Headquarters,
about 4,414 trafficking cases have so far been lodged under the Prevention
and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act-2012.
BSS/SAH/MRI/1821 hrs