State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has said human traffickers are using Bangladesh as a main transit, report agencies.
In reply to a written question in Parliament Monday, he said it was true that people were being trafficked to different countries from Bangladesh.
"Bangladesh is also being used in recent years as transit for human trafficking," he said.
Discovery of a mass grave at an abandoned human trafficking camp inside a jungle in Thailand in April brought international spotlight on human trafficking through sea routes. Since then, over three thousand people, believed to be Bangladeshis and Myanmar's Rohingyas, were rescued from the boats stranded off the coast of Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.
Facing persecution in Myanmar, Rohingyas for the past few years have been undertaking risky boat journeys to cross over to Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.
Even people from Bangladesh are regularly trying to enter Malaysia on rickety boats and fishing trawlers.
"A significant number of men from Bangladesh undertake the perilous voyage lured by the false promises of jobs. They often end up being exploited as forced labour or debt slave," the state minister said.
To prevent human trafficking, he said the national committee had been meeting in every two months.
In reply to another question, he said the syndicates involved in the crime had been identified, and actions were taken against them.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali has expressed concern over the rise in human trafficking, discovery of mass graves in Thailand and Malaysia, and persecution of migrants.
In reply to a query in parliament, he said, "The present government has always been following a 'zero tolerance' towards human trafficking. Orders have been issued for the immediate rehabilitation of Bangladeshi victims."
Meanwhile, State Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan told the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) on Monday that the police have undertaken all possible measures to maintain law and order properly for a smooth celebration of the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr.
The state minister said at present the law and order situation across the country is in a good shape and the highway police have also been asked to remain alert to combat robbery and traffic jam on the highways for a smooth plying of motorised vehicles during the Eid-ul-Fitr.
Replying to a supplementary question from opposition bench member Begum Mahzabin Morshed, the state minister said, "We have already discussed the issues relating to the smooth celebration of the Eid and undertaken initiatives to stop criminal acts."
Mr Asaduzzaman said measures have already been taken to stop extortion, robbery and curbing activities of the 'agyan' party and other criminal acts.
