495 foreigners in Bangladesh jails: Home minister

A total of 495 nationals of different countries are now languishing in Bangladesh jails, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said today.

He said this while addressing as the chief guest at a seminar titled ‘Combating Trafficking: Repatriation of Victims of Trafficking’ organised by the National Human Rights Commission at a city hotel.

Fifty-seven of them have been convicted and the home countries of 86 others refused their entry leading to their involuntary incarceration, he said.

Reflecting on human trafficking issue, the minister said human trafficking has an age-old history. However, Bangladeshis are now not being forcibly taken to foreign countries rather they are being lured to go to overseas countries.

They are falling victims to this (human trafficking) and many Bangladeshis are now in prisons of other countries.

Observing that trafficking takes place due to “demand and supply”, he said human traffickers entice the victims in many ways, however, the number of such victims is decreasing gradually.

“Now we are in a better position. Many foreigners are coming to the country to change their fate,” he said.