HC asks govt to submit report on traffickers in 60 days
The High Court yesterday directed the government to submit within 60 days its committee’s report on travel agencies and human traffickers responsible for the death of 37 Bangladeshis in the Mediterranean Sea in May.
The HC bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader passed the order following a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Emdadul Haque.
The Bangladeshi nationals, most of whom were from Sylhet and Noakhali, reportedly died after their boat capsized in the sea -- on the way to Italy from Libya -- on May 9.
During hearing on the petition, Deputy Attorney General ABM Abdullah-Al-Mahmud Bashar informed the court that the expatriate welfare and overseas employment ministry has formed a high powered inter-ministerial committee, led by an additional secretary, to probe the tragic incident.
The ministry has also sent a letter to the home ministry for identifying and taking drastic actions against the travel agencies and human traffickers responsible for sending Bangladeshis abroad illegally and for the death of 37 individuals, he said.
DAG Bashar also placed a report from the superintendent of police of Noakhali saying that the police are trying to identify the three alleged syndicates responsible for the incident and arrest them.
Emdadul Haque filed the writ petition on June 16 seeking a directive on the government to take action against the culprit travel agencies and human traffickers.
The HC on June 24, during hearing the petition, wanted to know the actions taken against travel agencies and human traffickers responsible.
It asked the DAG to provide the information after consulting with the authorities concerned of the government within seven days.
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