Staff Reporter :About 4,000 Bangladeshis from Sirajganj district alone have illegally migrated to Malaysia and Thailand through water routes in the last eight months.A survey report, conducted by Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU), an NGO, revealed this at a press conference in the National Press Club in the city on Saturday. Of the 4,000 migrants, whereabouts of 400 could not be known as yet, said the report. Meanwhile, family members of most of the 3,600 migrants have paid ransom through bkash varying from Tk 1 lakh to 2.5 lakh to set the migrants free, believed to be kept hostage in Malaysia and Thailand. In spite of the payment, they are yet to be freed, alleged the victims ‘family members. Professor Tasneem Siddiqui, Chair of the organisation, reading out the study report said that they had arranged the briefing regarding request done by a number of victims’ family members. About nine family members shared their grief at the briefing.The survey, quoting media reports, said that about 15,000-20,000 Bangladeshis from different districts have illegally migrated through oceanic route from July 2013 to June 2014. According to Irregular Maritime Movements (IMM) of the UNHCR, about 87,000 people of the country sailed to Malaysia and Thailand from 2012 to June 2014. The report mentioned that January to October is considered by the human traffickers as the suitable time for illegal exodus as the sea remains calm. So, the vested quarters both local and foreign collect people, mostly the youths, by their local agents, alluring them to migrate abroad without any prior payment. But after taking them to the foreign lands, they (traffickers) torture them and claim a good amount of ransom for setting them free. Many of them are killed for not getting ransom, the report goes on saying. Jessore, Khulna, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Rajshahi, Kurigram, Bogra, Sirajganj, Satkhira and Natore are mentioned in the study report to be preferred districts of the human traffickers, comprising international criminals, Andaman, pirates of Thailand and local agents, taking advantage of the areas’ poverty.As per Section-34 of the Overseas Employment and Migrants Act-2013, the lawmen, BIRA and Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment have authorisation to lodge complaint in connection with illegal migration.But no case was filed in the last one year, the survey stated. Representatives of some NGOs, speakers at the briefing said that the government should take stern action against such illegal practice. They said that they would wear black badges on December 18 unless the effective measures are taken before the date.
