Staff Reporter :
Most of the accused charged with human trafficking are acquitted at the trial court, Home Ministry official said.
According to the Home Ministry’s Human Trafficking Prevention Cell, more than 81 percent of human trafficking cases in the last two years were cleared.
The accused were convicted in 13 cases only. Despite the chargesheet filed by the investigating agencies, the accused were acquitted in 70 per cent of the 81 cases under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act in 2018 and 2019. The accused were convicted in 18 percent of the cases only.
The investigating officers are blaming the reluctance of the victim to handle the case after receiving financial compensation.
But experts say human traffickers are getting away with weak charges.
Dhaka University Criminology Department Chairman Prof. Zia Rahman told The New Nation that one of the reasons behind the high rate of acquittal under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act is the weakness of taking cases and preparing chargesheets.
In addition to this, we also have some weaknesses in criminal justice. Victims also do not receive proper prosecution services, he said.
Professor continued for instance, in the prosecution service, starting from the appointment
of a lawyer, there is also the issue of ensuring the safety of the victims. The Special Crime Management Branch of the Police Headquarters monitors the cases under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act.
A report was submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs with updated information from the concerned branch.
According to the report, 145 cases under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act have been pending for more than ten years. There are 478 cases pending for more than five years. Most of these cases have been delayed due to failure to produce witnesses in time.
According to the Home Ministry’s Human Trafficking Prevention Cell, in 2018, a total of 31 cases under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act were settled through trials. The accused were acquitted in 28 cases.
The court convicted the accused in four cases. Of the convicts seven were sentenced to life imprisonment and one to other terms. In contrast, 54 people were acquitted through judicial proceedings.
In that year, 581 cases were filed under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act. At the end of the preliminary investigation, 479 cases were filed by the police. The final report was given in 151 cases.
The following year, in 2019, a total of 39 cases under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act were settled through judicial proceedings. Of these, 68 accused were acquitted in 30 cases. He was convicted in nine cases. 25 people were convicted in these cases.
Of these, 17 were sentenced to life imprisonment and the remaining eight to other terms. Last year, a total of 685 cases were registered under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act. After preliminary investigation, the police filed charge sheets in 598 cases, final report in 97 cases .
Among the cases filed under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act, the rate of non-conviction after completion of judicial proceedings is the highest this year. In the first six months of this year, 10 cases were settled through trial.
The accused has been acquitted in nine of them, Convicted in a case.
There were 31 accused in 10 cases. One of them has been sentenced to other terms. The remaining 30 have been released. As of June this year, a total of 226 cases have been registered under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act. Of these, 102 cases have been registered after preliminary investigation.
Police officials involved in the investigation under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act claim that most of the cases, at one stage of the investigation, the accused offered compensation.
Then they no longer want to handle the case. As a result, in many cases, even though there were charges, they were acquitted.
Moreover, the inability to confirm the presence of witnesses in time also created a delay in the proceedings, at one stage of which the accused were acquitted.
Dr. Zia Rahman told New Nation that human traffickers are known that they are very strong.
They continue to put pressure on the victims in various ways. Therefore, there is a need to ensure the safety of the victims, he also said.
Zia Rahman further said “Again, there is a shortage of courts, which shows that one date after another is behind”
He said in many cases, victims who are financially weak go to court every date and face new financial losses.
This is one of the reasons why many victims have lost interest in prosecuting cases, he added.
“If you want to know about the weak charge sheet” AIG (media) at the Police Headquarters, Sohel Rana told The New Nation that the investigation is not the only aspect of a case.
He said “When a police officer investigates, he must go through professionalism. He tries to make a thorough investigation, although there is ample opportunity for improvement”
We insist on training the investigating officers so that they can complete the investigation perfectly with professionalism” he said.
Most of the accused charged with human trafficking are acquitted at the trial court, Home Ministry official said.
According to the Home Ministry’s Human Trafficking Prevention Cell, more than 81 percent of human trafficking cases in the last two years were cleared.
The accused were convicted in 13 cases only. Despite the chargesheet filed by the investigating agencies, the accused were acquitted in 70 per cent of the 81 cases under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act in 2018 and 2019. The accused were convicted in 18 percent of the cases only.
The investigating officers are blaming the reluctance of the victim to handle the case after receiving financial compensation.
But experts say human traffickers are getting away with weak charges.
Dhaka University Criminology Department Chairman Prof. Zia Rahman told The New Nation that one of the reasons behind the high rate of acquittal under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act is the weakness of taking cases and preparing chargesheets.
In addition to this, we also have some weaknesses in criminal justice. Victims also do not receive proper prosecution services, he said.
Professor continued for instance, in the prosecution service, starting from the appointment
of a lawyer, there is also the issue of ensuring the safety of the victims. The Special Crime Management Branch of the Police Headquarters monitors the cases under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act.
A report was submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs with updated information from the concerned branch.
According to the report, 145 cases under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act have been pending for more than ten years. There are 478 cases pending for more than five years. Most of these cases have been delayed due to failure to produce witnesses in time.
According to the Home Ministry’s Human Trafficking Prevention Cell, in 2018, a total of 31 cases under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act were settled through trials. The accused were acquitted in 28 cases.
The court convicted the accused in four cases. Of the convicts seven were sentenced to life imprisonment and one to other terms. In contrast, 54 people were acquitted through judicial proceedings.
In that year, 581 cases were filed under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act. At the end of the preliminary investigation, 479 cases were filed by the police. The final report was given in 151 cases.
The following year, in 2019, a total of 39 cases under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act were settled through judicial proceedings. Of these, 68 accused were acquitted in 30 cases. He was convicted in nine cases. 25 people were convicted in these cases.
Of these, 17 were sentenced to life imprisonment and the remaining eight to other terms. Last year, a total of 685 cases were registered under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act. After preliminary investigation, the police filed charge sheets in 598 cases, final report in 97 cases .
Among the cases filed under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act, the rate of non-conviction after completion of judicial proceedings is the highest this year. In the first six months of this year, 10 cases were settled through trial.
The accused has been acquitted in nine of them, Convicted in a case.
There were 31 accused in 10 cases. One of them has been sentenced to other terms. The remaining 30 have been released. As of June this year, a total of 226 cases have been registered under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act. Of these, 102 cases have been registered after preliminary investigation.
Police officials involved in the investigation under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act claim that most of the cases, at one stage of the investigation, the accused offered compensation.
Then they no longer want to handle the case. As a result, in many cases, even though there were charges, they were acquitted.
Moreover, the inability to confirm the presence of witnesses in time also created a delay in the proceedings, at one stage of which the accused were acquitted.
Dr. Zia Rahman told New Nation that human traffickers are known that they are very strong.
They continue to put pressure on the victims in various ways. Therefore, there is a need to ensure the safety of the victims, he also said.
Zia Rahman further said “Again, there is a shortage of courts, which shows that one date after another is behind”
He said in many cases, victims who are financially weak go to court every date and face new financial losses.
This is one of the reasons why many victims have lost interest in prosecuting cases, he added.
“If you want to know about the weak charge sheet” AIG (media) at the Police Headquarters, Sohel Rana told The New Nation that the investigation is not the only aspect of a case.
He said “When a police officer investigates, he must go through professionalism. He tries to make a thorough investigation, although there is ample opportunity for improvement”
We insist on training the investigating officers so that they can complete the investigation perfectly with professionalism” he said.
