Combating human trafficking

The Bangladesh foreign minister has called upon the business community of Asia-Pacific region to join hands with the governments of the region in combating human trafficking and smuggling, while addressing the Bali Process Government and Business Forum in Perth, Australia. Although he didn't elaborate as to how business community could help, the "root causes" of human trafficking must be addressed by the governments. 

Human trafficking has its own push and pull factors. Whereas "push" factors include extreme poverty and abusive a home environment that compel people to enter situations leading to trafficking, "pull" factors are those that create a demand for slave labour and a market in which the traffickers operate, thrive and profit. The kind of inhumane trafficking and smuggling witnessed across the Asia-Pacific region has all these factors. Many of those fallen in the trap of trafficking somewhat knew what might happen in the precarious boat journey across the sea and afterwards, yet they were so desperate that they decided to take their chances.

For its part, Bangladesh must recognise that those resorting to a perilous path in pursuit of happiness neither want to "tarnish the country's image" nor are "mentally sick". First, the government needs to realise and recognise what makes people so desperate to leave the country, and then seek to address them.

The governments must address the push and pull factors behind this phenomenon by intensifying cooperation with each-other while seeking to put an end to this problem.