Stop human trafficking

Many young Bangladeshis are so desperate to go abroad with a view to earning money that they become an easy prey to local and international human traffickers. The unholy elements lure the aspirants, fleece them and endanger their lives. Recently, Malaysian police rescued 11 Bangladeshi nationals on suspicion of having been held for weeks by human traffickers for ransom. It is only a tip of the iceberg. Many such stories remain buried in the Bay of Bengal and never see the light of the day.
A widespread campaign to create awareness among the common people about the danger of risky migration should be initiated so that common people become conscious and stay away from such mindless dangerous migration. Unsafe migration not only harms the aspirants financially but also puts their lives in grave danger. Many criminal gangs are active in human trafficking and they are being operated from Bangladesh, Myanmar and Malaysia. It seems the criminals are having a field day in their illegal and inhuman trading due to lack of coordination between countries.
Every year, millions of Bangladeshi men and women enter the job market but we don't have enough jobs for them. So, many of them remain unemployed and migration is a hope for them to a better future. The Bangladesh government must ensure safe migration for them so that the aspirants are not cheated by the local or international human trafficking gangs.
Rumana Sharmeen
The University of Dhaka