Bangladesh cannot become a haven for human traffickers – Dhaka Tribune

Of the many frailties that still exist in our system, one that should be given the utmost priority is certainly the rising cases of human trafficking.

That, among the 373 people arrested in human trafficking cases in the year 2020, only one was convicted for the crime is a fact both bizarre and sincerely concerning.

In its report titled “Trafficking in Persons in Bangladesh,” the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) addressed the increasing number of cases in this regard, and also highlighted causes behind the low rate of convictions.

It is obvious that a number of factors like poverty come into play in such incidents becoming such a recurring phenomenon. Traffickers have historically been known to prey on the marginalized and economically vulnerable, luring them with the promise of financial security for personal gains.

While the fundamental root of the problem is much larger than can be fixed overnight, it is also important that the authorities impose strict preemptive measures to prevent more of these cases from taking place — and, more importantly, to put all perpetrators of such severe crimes behind bars.

As the report outlined, inadequate resources and evidence along with corruption in relevant fields contribute to the shamefully low rate of convictions. With the problem areas identified, this should be an opportunity for the authorities to zero in on not only building a stronger force to prevent these crimes, but to also weed out potential criminals and their accomplices in positions of power.

Despite Bangladesh's rapid and impressive development in recent years, there remain large numbers of people suffering from extreme poverty. It is our duty to not only facilitate better living conditions for them, but also to protect them from human trafficking and the terrors it entails.