Staff Reporter :
The Government of Bangladesh has directed its Ambassadors and High Commissioners posted in different countries, including Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, to take effective measures in a bid to check human trafficking.
They were also asked to increase vigilance so that the Bangladesh citizens do not go to those countries illegally.
The directives came at a meeting in city on Monday evening where Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam, Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Hoque and senior officials of different Ministries and Prime Minister’s Office were present.
To attend the meeting, ambassador to Thailand Saida Muna Tasneem, High Commissioner to Malaysia Md Shahidul Islam, Ambassador to Myanmar Sufiur Rahman and Ambassador to Indonesia Md Nazmul Kawnain flown to Dhaka early yesterday.
The envoys were asked about their initiatives and future programme following the incidents of illegal human trade, and discovering of mass grave in the forest of Thailand and Malaysia.
Diplomatic sources said, the envoys have agreed to take emergency measures to bring back the trapped Bangladeshis in Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal after properly verifying their identity.
A senior official of Foreign Ministry said, “None was showing any interest to take responsibility over the sensational and humanitarian issue. Even, the internal ministries and departments also did not show any interest. The Foreign Ministry tried to avoid the issue, as there is no guideline about human trafficking in its rules of business.”
He said, “But we are now facing tremendous international pressure as the victims are staying on the foreign soil. And so, the Foreign Ministry has agreed to coordinate the returning of the trapped migrants.”
