Home minister orders action against new human trafficking tactics

Highlights

• Digital platforms increasingly used to lure victims
• Govt plans technology-based anti-trafficking initiative
• Minister urges coordinated efforts against organised networks

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed today (4 August) pledged tougher action against international trafficking networks that use digital platforms and fake online promises to lure victims.

He made the remarks as the chief guest at an event marking World Day Against Trafficking in Persons at the United Nations building in Gulshan, Dhaka tonight.

The event, organised by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), featured the launch of LISTEN, a documentary photography book based on the real-life experiences of human trafficking survivors, and an exhibition of photographs from the book.

“Human trafficking not only destroys individual freedom and dignity, but also severely harms the foundations of society,” Salahuddin said.

He said the government was strengthening law enforcement capabilities, technological capacity and public awareness to curb the spread of technology-enabled trafficking.

“Human trafficking’s devastating human cost cannot be measured by statistics alone. The tragic real-life experiences of survivors captured in LISTEN will help build resistance in society and strengthen our national commitment to fighting this crime,” he said.

Referring to this year’s World Day Against Trafficking in Persons theme, “Trapped Behind the Scam”, the home minister warned that international organised crime networks are increasingly forcing people across borders into fraudulent activities, cyber scams and exploitative labour.

He said the Ministry of Home Affairs would soon begin implementing a coordinated plan titled “Countering Cyber Enabled Human Trafficking through Technology”.

The initiative aims to quickly identify trafficking operations conducted through digital platforms, take legal action and protect victims through innovative approaches, he said.

Highlighting the importance of coordinated efforts to prevent human trafficking, Salahuddin said no single country or government could completely eliminate the crime.

“Only coordinated partnerships among law enforcement agencies, civil society, international organisations and the media can eradicate this scourge,” he said.

He thanked the IOM and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), which provided financial support for the initiative.

The home minister formally unveiled LISTEN and inaugurated the photography exhibition. IOM Deputy Director General (Operations) Ugochi Daniels, who is visiting Bangladesh, was also welcomed at the event.