More than 10,000 people are trafficked through Cox's Bazar coastal area to Malaysia and Thailand per month as a number of organised gangs of human traffickers are engaged in the crime, officials said.
The Detective Branch (DB) of Police has identified some 12 points in the coastal areas of Cox's Bazar including Kutubdia, Katabunia, Hariakhali, Badamtoli, Choangkhali, Jhaubagan, Inani, Mankhali, Rejubreez, Khonarpara and Septkhali from where people are being trafficked to Malaysia and Thailand as the traffickers find the spots safe.
Particularly the younger generations who are yet to manage a profession are being smuggled to those countries.
"We don't have any specific statistics on human trafficking through Cox's Bazar costal area but it has been observed that on an average 300-340 people are being trafficked in a day to several countries", an official of the district intelligence office of Cox's Bazar told the FE.
He said a large number of people are being trafficked under 'body contract'.
'Body contract' means that the traffickers will take no responsibility of job or accommodation or legal protection for a man to be trafficked but just carry him to the targeted country.
According to him, in recent times, they have identified more than 100 local syndicates around the Cox's Bazar costal area which jointly work with international gangs.
The law enforcers said the traffickers use small and medium boats in several points of Cox's Bazar sea area to carry the Malaysia and Thailand-bound passengers.
The Cox's Bazar police station data showed in last six months the law enforcing agencies including BGB (Border Guard Bangladesh), RAB (Rapid Action Battalion) and Ukhia police arrested over 4,500 Malaysia and Thailand-bound passengers by conducting drives in various places of Cox's Bazar sea area. And Coastguard alone caught about 1,000 people in last ten months.
According to the sources, in last three years a large number of jobless young people left for Malaysia and Thailand through Cox's Bazar costal area. At least 500 people died in trawler capsizes and more than 1,500 are missing during this period.
"Millions of youths are passing hard times without jobs. As a result human traffickers have become active on the sea route," special superintendent of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Ashraful Islam, said.
He said many Bangladeshi young men want to go abroad for jobs with handsome salary but cannot easily get visa, so they fall prey to the traffickers.
One needs on an average some Tk 300,000 for going to Malaysia and Thailand legally but the traffickers take only Tk 50,000 to Tk 60,000 per head. As a result people become attracted by the traffickers.
"We have observed that human trafficking to Malaysia and Thailand increases significantly in winter season due to better weather," an official of the Coast Guard in Cox's Bazar district said.
He said as Cox's Bazar costal area is a safe route local and international human trafficking syndicates are turning to it.
Chairman of the department of criminology of Dhaka University Dr Zia Rahman said a large number of youths want to go abroad for financial solvency.
For difficulties in formal visa processing, many people are taking help from the traffickers.
He said everyone wants a good job whether at home or abroad, so the government should hold negotiation with several countries aiming to send more people to those countries legally.
He said the government should look into the basic thing behind such trafficking and it is unemployment. Employment generation can solve the problem to some extent, he added.
shahalamnur@gmail.com