Trafficked Bangladeshis in Thai jungle

OBVIOUSLY lured by enticement of jobs desperate Bangladeshis often fall prey to traps laid out by wily traffickers. The latter promise something to the job-seekers but once in their clutch, they will be bandied about like chattels as though in an insidious version of modern-day slave trade.

The case in point is the discovery of 37,53 and 81, largely Bangladeshi victims, in the last  month and on October 11 and 13 respectively in Thai jungles. They were enticed by job offers in Malaysia but off-loaded in the coastal borders of Thailand. Then began their ordeal of being abused, beaten and unfed. Some were rescued at a rubber plantation.

The impression one gets is that they have been rescued from the hands of their tormentors by the Thai authorities. Reports suggest that the local Thai administration is thinking along two lines: Processing them for repatriation and trying some of them under immigration laws. We believe, in the immediate terms the Thai government needs to probe the matter at length and go after the racket on their side of the fence and bring the culprits to book. In other words, the victims ought to be treated humanely. Our embassy must take up the matter with the Thai government for the Bangladeshis' early repatriation or rehabilitation as the case may be. For our part, we have to mount vigil along our coastal belt to prevent any misadventure in quest of jobs.