Trafficked without a trace
The mystery regarding the whereabouts of the seven Bangladeshis who were reportedly lured and trafficked to Myanmar instead of Malaysia, their promised destination, is no mystery at all. Rather it is a tragic story—all too familiar—of a group of underprivileged, desperate people falling victim to human trafficking, where human lives are bought and sold without any regard for human dignity.
The victims are in various jails in Myanmar, according to a list prepared by the Special Branch of Police last year. But neither the Bangladesh Embassy in Myanmar nor the Myanmar Embassy in Bangladesh has confirmed that. It doesn't come as a surprise given the absence of proper cooperation among law enforcement agencies and a lethargic pace of investigation, as revealed at a seminar jointly organised by the government and USAID earlier this year.
Human trafficking in Bangladesh has complex origins. Many victims, poor and unemployed, come from areas affected by natural disasters and climate change. In the absence of formal migration channels, they become easy preys of human smugglers. And trafficking cases are seldom filed under the proper law, making the job of prosecutors extremely difficult. A delay in setting up special tribunals, and an inoperative state of counter trafficking committees at the local levels also exacerbate the situation.
Time and again we have talked about enhancing the capacity of law enforcement agencies and legal practitioners, increasing coordination among relevant ministries and departments, raising awareness and implementing the National Skills Policy. But without a firm political will of the regional governments to address the root causes, it will be impossible to curb the crisis that has alleged links to influential people in concerned countries.
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