The US has pledged to continue its partnership with Bangladesh to prevent human trafficking, prosecute traffickers and provide for survivors, the US Embassy said in a statement on Thursday.
"Working together with Bangladesh to combat human trafficking is a great example of how our two countries can collaborate to stop those who exploit people for profit," said Peter Haas.
The US ambassador made the statement on the occasion of celebrating National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.
"While today we honour those who help end the crime of human trafficking, the United States is committed to partnering with Bangladesh each and every day to protect the most vulnerable, to bring traffickers to justice, and to once and for all end the scourge of human trafficking."
In 2023, the US Embassy and the US Department of Justice's International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Programme (ICITAP) and the Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) conducted human trafficking training for more than 200 investigators, financial analysts, prosecutors and judges throughout Bangladesh.
These capacity-building programmes are conducted in partnership with the Bangladesh government and provide expert assistance, victim-centred skills development, and case-based mentoring to Bangladeshi counterparts.
Together, ICITAP and OPDAT have so far conducted 48 training sessions in Bangladesh.
The ICITAP partnered with USAID-funded activities to engage in community outreach programmes to raise awareness of the dangers of trafficking and educate communities on how to identify and report potential cases.
These efforts reflect a holistic strategy to involve law enforcement, the community and NGOs.
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