Stress on integrated efforts to combat human trafficking

Speakers at a programme on Tuesday stressed the need for taking integrated efforts alongside raising awareness to combat human trafficking.

They also opined that human trafficking is a crime that increases the risk of physical and mental exploitations, forced labour and marriage for the victims.

They were addressing the inaugural session of a debate competition on 'I stand against human trafficking' in observance of World Day against Trafficking in Persons 2019' on the Dhaka University campus.

International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and Dhaka University Debating Society jointly organised the event with cooperation of European Union, the US government and Sweden Embassy.

Asma Khatun, chief of Migrant Protection and Assistance of IOM, made a brief presentation on human trafficking scenario where she said on average one billion people migrate to different countries in a year.

Some 8.9 million Bangladeshis migrated internally and 730,000 migrated abroad in 2018, she said.

Referring to 'Trafficking In Person (TIP) report 2019' of the United State Department, she mentioned many people are trafficked every year and tortured in many ways.

Professor M M Akash said due to unavailability of employments at local market, a significant number of Bangladeshis go abroad.

Many times they fall prey to human trafficking. Most of the victims are poor, so they cannot take necessary legal action against human traffickers.

He suggested working to reduce poverty and create skilled manpower to prevent human trafficking.

Dr Nakib Muhammad Nasrullah, professor at Law department of Dhaka University, said human trafficking is a multinational issue.

Bangladesh has necessary laws but the problem is lack of implementation, he said.

Because of unemployment problem and economical discrimination, people intend to go abroad, said Sharon Dimanche, deputy chief of mission of IOM.

Human traffickers take the problems as advantage and cheat jobless people with the promise of lucrative jobs, she said.

He advocated working in an integrated way to prevent the offence.

Some 16 debating clubs of Dhaka University participated in the competition aiming to increase awareness among the students against human trafficking.

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