BAIRA members warned of punitive action for illegal migration

FE Report | Published: December 02, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

The BAIRA, the apex body of private recruiters, has warned of punitive action against its members, if found involved in irregular migration.
The tougher announcement came at a press conference at its office in the city on Monday following alarmingly rising irregular migration by sea route.
It also said it believes that so far none of its members is involved in such fraudulent activities, but the Association will take stern action if it gets evidence about such offences by its members.
"We are against such fraudulent activities and also want to work with government and international organisations to combat it," said Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) president Mohammad Abul Bashar in a written statement.
Quoting Refugee and Migratory Movement Research Unit (RMMRU), he said during the last one year, nearly 20,000 Bangladeshis travelled to Malaysia by sea route on being allured by human traffickers.
About 250 job-seekers died while attempting to go to Malaysia by trawlers from Teknaf last year, he also said quoting the Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) and other sources.
Referring to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Mr Bashar said in the last 10 years, more than 200,000 people were trafficked from Bangladesh and Myanmar by sea route.
He said between June and November this year, law enforcers rescued about 25,000 people from Shahpori, Teknaf, Saint Martins and Cox's Bazar coastal areas. The people were taken there only to be trafficked abroad.
The BAIRA president said hundreds of job-seekers travel to Malaysia by sea route every month from these areas.
A number of syndicates from Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand are involved in such human trafficking. The agents of the syndicates are also active in Malaysia.
So far, 137 cases were filed at different police stations at Cox's Bazar and 267 were arrested for their alleged involvement with trafficking.
But the irregular migration is still continuing in the country, the BAIRA president noted.
The BAIRA also submitted some recommendations to the government to reduce irregular migration through sea route.
The recommendations include joint operation by BGB, RAB and police at the coastal areas to arrest the traffickers and denial of bail to the criminals.
The recommendations also stressed on a joint initiative by the government and the private sector to increase overseas employment through formal channel.
The BAIRA pleaded for signing security deal and arranging joint search with India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and other countries near the Bay of Bengal for combating trafficking.
It also emphasised on a joint awareness programme.
Secretary General Monsur Ahmed Kalam and BAIRA senior vice president Ali Haider Chowdhury, among others, spoke at the press meet.
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