Bangladesh has reaffirmed its commitment in combating the global scourge of human trafficking and to work together with the member states for further strengthening the UN’s coordinated response and action against trafficking in persons, slavery and forced labour.
“At national level, we enacted the Human Trafficking Deterrence and Suppression Act, 2012, and adopted the National Plan of Action 2015-17 to implement the comprehensive law,” said Ambassador Masud Bin Momen, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations.
He was addressing the Open High Level Debate on ‘Trafficking in Persons in Conflict Situation: Forced Labour, Slavery and other Similar Practices’ in the UN Security Council on Thursday.
During his deliberations, Ambassador Momen mentioned Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s personal commitment to combating this scourge and how she has taken a series of legal, policy and administrative measures at the national level to prevent this social menace.
Under the Plan of Action, regular monitoring and coordination mechanisms have been operationalized at the national, district and upazila levels through government and non-government partnership, he added.
In this connection, he said Bangladesh now focuses on further improving capacity on data collection and management, effective information campaign strategy and prosecution and early disposal of trafficking cases to this end.
Referring to Bangladesh government’s initiatives at International and Regional level Mr. Momen said the country (Bangladesh) became party to the UNTOC and has remained consistently active within the Group of Friends United against Human Trafficking.
At regional level, he said Bangladesh has spearheaded an initiative to
broaden and institutionalize the scope of counter-trafficking cooperation
under the aegis of SAARC and BIMSTEC.
The Permanent Representative made five suggestions to combat human
trafficking in conflict situation.
These are- designating a high-level focal point for coordinating and
monitoring the UN system-wide work against trafficking in persons, victims of
trafficking in person and related crimes, including those in conflict
situation, must to remain in the forefront of the UN counter-trafficking
agenda, strengthening national legislative measures and fostering
international cooperation by enabling legal framework by UN Convention
against Transnational Organised Crimes (UNTOC) and its additional protocols,
continuing advocacy and support by UN for compliance with relevant
international legal instruments and obligation and addressing the root causes
of trafficking in persons and other related crimes.
