Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said on Sunday that Bangladesh remains firm in its commitment to combating human trafficking and is actively working toward achieving this goal.

The adviser made the comment while speaking as the chief guest at the third meeting of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) sub-group on human trafficking, held at the Surma Hall of Hotel Pan Pacific Sonargaon in Dhaka, reports Bangla Tribune.

He said that a robust legal framework has been established to ensure accountability for those involved in human trafficking.

Law enforcement agencies remain vigilant and active in this regard, he said.

Border security has been strengthened, and awareness campaigns have been intensified to inform concerned parties about the dangers of trafficking, he added.

The welcome speech at the meeting was delivered by Additional Secretary Khandker Md Mahabubur Rahman of the Political and ICT Wing under the Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Chair of the third Bimstec sub-group meeting on human trafficking.

A goodwill speech was delivered by Prashanth Chandran, director of the Bimstec Secretariat in Dhaka.

Jahangir said that Bangladesh has taken active steps to combat human trafficking, including formulating a national action plan, effectively identifying victims of trafficking, assessing their needs, and linking them with appropriate service providers through a national referral mechanism hosted on a web platform.

He further said that a dedicated special tribunal has been established to expedite the trials of traffickers, and awareness campaigns have been systematically integrated into the national strategy.

Moreover, Bangladesh has expanded its mutual legal assistance framework to strengthen cooperation with Bimstec and other countries in this regard.

The adviser noted that other Bimstec member states have also taken significant steps in the fight against human trafficking.

He said: “I hope this meeting will provide a platform for exchanging those steps and experiences.”

He emphasized that traffickers constantly adopt new methods to evade government efforts.

They exploit the economic crises and poverty of vulnerable communities and misuse technology to use migration routes for their illicit activities, he said.

 A united and strategic approach is necessary to combat this crime, and Bimstec plays a crucial role in providing a platform for intelligence sharing and best practices among member states.

The exchange of experiences and collective efforts will further strengthen anti-trafficking strategies, he added.

Expressing sincere gratitude to the Bimstec member states for entrusting Bangladesh with the Chairmanship for the next two years, the adviser said that Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, has pledged to lead Bimstec with an inclusive, action-oriented, and visionary approach.

Jahangir said: “Under his capable and inspirational leadership, we are confident that Bimstec will reach new heights by deepening cooperation and strengthening relations among member states.”

He further said that the meeting provided a significant opportunity to discuss anti-trafficking strategies, share experiences, and reaffirm the region’s commitment to combating human trafficking.

The outcomes of this meeting will serve as a catalyst for formulating strong policies, ensuring their effective implementation, and deepening regional cooperation, he said.

Representatives from the Bimstec sub-group on human trafficking from the seven member states (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal, and Bhutan) participated in the meeting.