Professional Documents
Culture Documents
An inclusive observation
Ali Ahmad
Sylhet, Bangladesh
July 2015
Introduction
The trafficking of persons, particularly women and children, for forced and exploitative labor,
including for sexual exploitation is one of the most egregious violation of human rights which
the United Nations now confronts.
- Kofi Annan, Ex- Secretary General of United Nations
Bangladesh acts as an imperative source and transit country for trafficking in persons in Southern
Asia. The focal domain of human trafficking is forced labor. Trafficking sufferers of Bangladesh
is composed of men, women and children. Men signed up by fake employment offers for work
abroad comprise of a considerable share of Bangladesh's trafficking victims who are afterward
exploited under conditions of forced labor. The core dynamics of human trafficking have led to
the formulation of numerous international and regional legal. Bangladesh government has taken
administrative steps to cope with human trafficking, mainly trafficking in women and children.
Consequently, the aim of this paper is to identify the overall situation of trafficking in persons in
Bangladesh with the governments initiatives and developments on this issue. The current paper
depicts the current situation of trafficking in persons in Bangladesh, the challenges, problems,
government initiatives and country success. The current paper ends with recommendations to the
government of probable solutions. According to Article 3 of the UN Protocol to Prevent,
Suppress and penalize Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, Supplementing
the UN Convention Against Transnational planned Crime. Trafficking in persons denotes: the
employment, transportation, relocate, harboring or receiving of persons, by means of the threat
or use of force or other shapes of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of cheating, of the abuse of
power or of a position of Trafficking in women and children is today a major social and political
concern globally as well as nationally. It has also become the rapid growing criminal venture in
the world. An approximated 1-2 million women and children are trafficked annually around the
world, normally for the intention of forced labor, commercial sexual abuse or home servitude. A
United Nations (UN) estimates conducted in 1999 point out that the fastest growing international
business is trafficking in women and children (UNIFEM).
Koettl (2009) did a study on trafficking and development, it shows that exploitation matters to
development because of its adverse effects on efficiency and equity; it seems clear that
exploitation is a cause for poverty and therefore is an obstacle to development.
Siddiqui, Rozana and others (2006) jointly conducted a research on W&C trafficking in
Bangladesh. It shows that trafficking is tapped in confusion. There is confusion regarding static,
legal framework and other aspects of trafficking. It gives a detail list of NGOs anti-trafficking
programs and points out that there is lack of coordination and communication among NGOs; as a
result some traffic prone areas are overlooked or some areas are over-burdened with similar
programs but there is no comment on those programs success or failure in the research.
Osmany (2007) in his study says, at present human security is a great concern and human
trafficking is identified as the most alarming threat to human security. He says, Interestingly,
the issue of trafficking in persons, especially women and children, illustrates how a
nontraditional security issue can be a threat to both the state and its people.
UNICEF (2008) study on child trafficking in South Asia shows the pattern of child trafficking in
South Asia and gives a regional analysis of legal framework, policy responses of governments
and civil societies. In a small portion of the study, prevention is highlighted. Preventive
programs should investigate the social, cultural and economic conditions of the targeted people
and Identify vulnerable groups who are particularly at risk- the study emphasizes on; but the
study does not specify preventive actions taken so far nor does it give any assessment
Operational Definitions:
Trafficking
Trafficking in person a subset of migration is the movement of a person in a situation of deceit,
force, threat, debt, bondage etc involving exploitation and violation of human rights
(Sanlaap,DAM,ACD:20006).
Trafficking has also been defined in the SAARC Convention on Preventing and Combating
Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution (2002) which is very important for
Bangladesh as a SAARC country. It states:
Trafficking means the moving, selling or buying of women and children for prostitution within
and outside a country for monetary or other considerations with or without consent of the person
subjected to trafficking and Persons Subjected to Trafficking means women and children
victimized or forced into prostitution by the traffickers by deception, threat, coercion,
kidnapping, sale, fraudulent marriage, child marriage, or any other unlawful means.
Trafficking is a large-scale criminal enterprise. It is a multifaceted development issue.
It is an economic problem as the vast majority of women seeking to break away from
poverty are lured into trafficking by the false promise of economic gains. Trafficking is
a health problem as trafficked women and children are at the risk of HIV infection.
It is a gender problem, as unequal power relations reinforce womens secondary status
in the society. Lastly it is a legal problem, as its victims are stripped of their human rights
and lack any access to redress the crimes committed against them.
Human Trafficking
Human Trafficking should be viewed in the context of a wide range of actions and outcomes that
involve several stages ranging from the organization of the supply of people vulnerable to
exploitation and harm, the process of movement to the demand for the service or labour of
trafficked person.4 For traffickers, the process is a systematic, well-organized economic
phenomenon, involving the displacement and movement of persons solely to profit directly or
indirectly from the exploitation of the trafficked persons labor.5 Many definitions have been
offered to articulate the human trafficking problem. The UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and
Punish Trafficking in Persons defines trafficking as follows:
Trafficking in persons shall mean the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or
receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of
abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the
giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control
over another person for the purpose of exploitation.
Methodology
To accomplish a research, a researcher follows a specific method. Same case happened to me. To
perform the aforementioned research I have followed Qualitative method. Descriptive and
explanatory methods have also been applied here. Furthermore, I sought upper limit data from
secondary source, as there have been the constraints of primary data.
Perspective of the Study
Please dont leave us, we are hungry. Otherwise we will die soon for the short of food.(Daily
Prothom Alo,May 172015). This plea has been uttered by an immigrant of Bangladesh who
surpasses a merciless life in a Boat nearing to Indonesia. Before facing this situation he dreamt at
changing his life motivated by human traffickers of Bangladesh. Trafficking becomes a
transcontinental issue now and gains everyones conscience. Trafficking is an issue of global
concern presently and South Asia is one of the most vulnerable regions for trafficking because of
its large population, majority living in conditions of chronic poverty and recurrent natural
disasters. Moreover, Bangladesh along with Nepal is identified as source country for women and
children subjected to trafficking in person in South Asia. U.S. State Department estimate that
between 1 to 2 million people are trafficked each year worldwide with the majority originating in
Asia (over 1,50,000 from South Asia and 2,25,000 from South East Asia).The UN assesses that
globally at least 4 million persons are trafficked and large part of it is Women and Children.
Most recent reports say that, in recent years there has been a significant increase in the number of
women and children trafficked. In 2006, a UNODC report on Global Pattern of Trafficking in
Person categorized nine countries as high in rank of trafficking and Bangladesh is one of them.
In Trafficking in Person report, 2010 by US Department of State Bangladesh is placed on Tier-2
Watch List for the second consecutive year.
Human Trafficking scenario in Bangladesh
Trafficking in persons is illegal, and it is difficult to find reliable estimates of the size of the
problem. However, various reports, such as Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports, TIP
Reports of the U.S.
State Department, Bangladeshs Country Reports, etc., reveal that it is a large and growing crime
globally as well as in Bangladesh. According to the 2012 TIP Report of the U.S. State
Department Bangladesh does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination
of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. In February 2012, the
government of Bangladesh enacted a comprehensive anti-trafficking law which addressed
legislative gaps such as the absence of a prohibition on the trafficking of men. The government
also approved a new anti-trafficking action plan (2012-2014) which incorporated necessary steps
to implement the new law. The number of prosecutions increased, but the number of convictions
declined as compared to previous year. In terms of modus operandi, there are two types of
trafficking in persons that occur in Bangladesh: internal trafficking and international trafficking.
Internal Trafficking:
Bangladeshi children and adults are trafficked internally for commercial sexual exploitation,
domestic servitude, and forced and bonded labour, including forced begging. In some instances,
children are sold into bondage by their parents, while others are induced into labour or
commercial sexual exploitation through fraud and physical coercion. Girls and boys as young as
eight years old are subjected to forced prostitution within the country, living in slave-like
conditions in secluded environments. Trafficking occurs throughout the country, and the
vulnerable poor are trafficked from poorer rural regions to cities.
International Trafficking:
Internationally, women and children from Bangladesh are trafficked to India and Pakistan for
commercial sexual exploitation or forced labour. Some Rohingyan refugees from Burma have
been subjected to human trafficking in Bangladesh. Many brothel owners and pimps coerce
Bangladeshi girls to take steroids to make them more attractive to clients, with devastating side
effects; the drug is reported to be used by 90 percent of girls and women between the ages of 15
and 35 in Bangladeshi brothels. In 2012, nine South African labour-trafficking victims were
found in Bangladesh
Reasons behind Human Trafficking
The issue of trafficking is integrally associated to the insecurity of livelihoods as well as to the
continuing disparities and discrimination against marginalized communities normally, and
against women in particular.
Countless trafficked persons are lured and deceived by false promises of good jobs or marriage,
and some are bought, abducted, kidnapped, coerced, threatened with force or placed in debt
bondage. Some of these women and children are trafficked with the tacit assent of their povertystricken families (NPA 2008). Bangladesh is one of the key sources of labor of the world with a
surplus population. It has enormous possibility to become the top foreign currency earner by
sending skilled migrant workers abroad. But unfortunately there are rackets working to traffic
men and women both inside and outside the country by exploiting them in the name of providing
jobs either with legal or illegal documents. Unsafe and undocumented migration leads to
trafficking. In recent times, many Bangladeshi potential male and female migrants suffered
within the country before going aboard, and many also faced adverse situations abroad. In the
regional and international arenas, groups of persons are working in the migration sector to earn
more money at any cost without considering the exploitation of the migrant workers. The major
underpinnings of these problems are as follows:
Overpopulation
Bangladesh is overwhelmed with its large population. This population burden has
exposed a large segment of the citizenry to the vulnerabilities of trafficking in persons.
Demand for cheap labor
Worldwide demand for cheap labour targets the Bangladeshi people and very often jeopardizes
them as trafficking victims.
Lack of opportunity and resources
Poverty exists in every part of social and economic life of the majority of the Bangladeshi
population. Combining a large population with a weak economic base makes the resource base
scarce and bottlenecks opportunities for people to lead happy lives. These discontentment lead
the people into vulnerability and towards becoming victims of trafficking in persons.
Lack of awareness
Lack of proper education easily escorts the people towards hazardous lifestyles, which ultimately
ends up with the dejected outcome of human trafficking. Lack of education also prevents the
development of an awareness of human rights and causes fatal consequences.
Sexual services
Augmented demand for sexual services around the globe, as well as within the country, makes
young girls and boys vulnerable to being trafficked. Burdened with the problems of poverty and
lack of education, Bangladeshi women and children are very vulnerable to the brutality of sex
trafficking.
Lack of control over recruiting agencies
There are more than 1,000 recruiting agencies belonging to the Bangladesh Association of
International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA). These agencies are permitted legally to charge
workers recruitment fees that are the equivalent of a years salary, but these recruiting agencies
often charge additional amounts in contravention of government regulations. These exorbitant
fees place migrant workers in a condition of debt bondage, in which they are compelled to work
out of fear of otherwise incurring serious financial harm. Many Bangladeshi migrant labourers
are victims of recruitment fraud, including additional and illegal exorbitant recruitment fees
often accompanied by fraudulent representation of terms of employment. These victims may also
experience restrictions on their movements, nonpayment of wages, threats, and physical or
sexual abuse.
Male attitudes and perceptions of women, male dominated value systems in society, and
womens unequal and low socioeconomic status maintains demands (UNIFEM).
On the other hand, supply factors include the following:
Poverty and deprivation, coupled with the low status of women and girls in society, are key
push factors; inadequate educational and employment opportunities, gender disparities in access
to opportunities, and lack of social safety nets;
A lucrative business with low investments but high monetary returns is attractive to crime
syndicates, facilitators, and even brings some financial gains to families;
Economic disparities within countries and between countries and regions fuels the demand for
trafficking from low income to high income areas;
Globalization and liberalization have relaxed controls, opened borders between countries,
facilitating population mobility;
Internal and international migration of women into the labour market, provides increased
opportunities and channels for trafficking;
Traditional and religious practices in some countries (in some south Asian countries) of
dedicating girls to gods and goddesses, and social acceptance of prostitution encourages the
trade. A sense of gratitude or repayment of debt by children to parents as in some societies,
compels many young women and girls into the sex industry;
social conventions such as child marriages, polygamy, dowry, and social stigma against single,
unwed, divorced women and girls, and those sexually abused, are important contributing factors;
Erosion of traditional family systems and values, and the pursuit of consumerism encourages
the sale of women and children;
The growth of transnational crime and the expansion of drug trafficking networks act as
mechanisms for other forms of exploitation;
lack of a strong political will, and weak law enforcement mechanisms and measures to penalize
offenders, exploitation by corrupt law enforcers and officials, allows the trafficking trade to
flourish;
Export of labour is a strategic response of governments in the current economic crisis in Asia,
and hence exacerbate trafficking; and
Official Reforms
Several efforts for the reform of the legal framework are currently underway. The Ministry of
Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment is currently revising the Emigration Ordinance
1982 to make it more effective against fraudulent and criminal recruitment of people for the
purpose of labor. MoHA is also currently working to revise the laws relating to immigration into
Bangladesh. These legal interventions are expected to further consolidate the legal tools
available in the fight against trafficking.
Bilateral Agreements
Bangladesh has recently entered into Agreements with India with a view to providing mutual
legal assistance in criminal matters and to combat organized crime and trafficking in drugs.
Specifically, the government of Bangladesh has concluded the following agreements with India:
1. The Agreement for Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters;
2. Agreement Between the Government of Bangladesh and the Government of India for
Combating Terrorism, Transnational Organized Crimes, and Illegal Drug Trafficking;
and
3. Agreement for the Transfer of Sentenced Persons
Needless to say, human trafficking is one of the most heinous types of organized crime, and
therefore these pacts particularly the first two pacts will facilitate cooperation between
Bangladesh and India for combating human trafficking.
International Agencies engaged in Combating Human Trafficking
Various international agencies and inter-governmental organisations which are actively engaged
in counter trafficking activities of women, girls and children who constitute the vulnerable group
include the: International Office of Migration (IOM) Geneva,
United Nations Inter Regional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) Rome,
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Vienna,
Recommendations
Bangladesh has made significant improvements in dealing with trafficking in persons. The
current study recommends that the government of Bangladesh:
Determination and implementation of anti-trafficking policies: Governments and
NGOs should more systematically partner with each other in order to ensure that civil
society is actively involved in all aspects of the determination and implementation of
anti-trafficking policies, including national action plans, regulations, and laws. As part of
this partnership, the volume and quality of information shared between the Government
agencies, ranging from central to grass-roots/local levels, international organizations and
NGOs should increase.
Strengthen Civil society organizations : Government should broaden their antitrafficking partnership to include other civil society organizations, such as those from
organized labor, faith-based organizations, migrant communities, and the international
and national business community. Work on anti-trafficking initiatives with these new
allies should occur in a systematic manner to bring forward new knowledge and
resources from these partners, and seek support from them for policies and programs to
combat human trafficking.
Positive role of NGOs: Information on the positive role of NGOs in cooperating with
Governments on anti-trafficking efforts, and the need to have NGOs involved in order to
ensure comprehensive anti-trafficking response, should be reflected in all training
curriculums at all levels.
Technical assistance of multilateral donor agencies: Both bilateral and multilateral
donor agencies should take decisions on funding of technical assistance and capacity
building with particular attention to the need to further strengthen government and civil
society cooperation, and to do so in a more coordinated manner.
Greater coordination both at the national and regional level: Greater donor
coordination, including prioritizing both at the national and regional levels, would
enhance and facilitate the process of preventing and combating human trafficking.
Promote safe migration : Governments and NGOs in places of migrants origin, transit and
destination should promote safe migration as a strategy to reduce vulnerability to human
trafficking
Limitation of the study
To carry out the study I have faced a number of limitations.
For instance Several adverse situations has been confronted owing to lack of skill, knowledge and
experience.
I faced big challenge of necessary and relevant books, journals and written documents in
various libraries.
Maximum data has been adapted from secondary source
Concluding Remarks
Human trafficking has become so entrenched the world over that it has become necessary for
everybody including governments, development partners, donor agencies, civil society
organizations, private sector, individuals, traditional leaders, community leaders, religious
leaders and other stakeholders to join hands and pool resources and experience together to
combat the hydra headed problem
Trafficking in persons is illegal, and it is difficult to find reliable estimates of the size of the
problem. However, various reports, such as Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports, TIP
Reports of the U.S. State Department, Bangladeshs Country Reports, etc., reveal that it is a large
and growing crime globally as well as in Bangladesh. According to the 2012 TIP Report of the
U.S. State Department, Bangladesh does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the
elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. In February 2012,
the government of Bangladesh enacted a comprehensive anti-trafficking law which addressed
legislative gaps such as the absence of a prohibition on the trafficking of men. The government
also approved a new anti-trafficking action plan (2012-2014) which incorporated necessary steps
to implement the new law. The number of prosecutions increased, but the number of convictions
declined as compared to previous years.
Work Cited:
Centre for Women and Children Studies (CWCS), (1997), Proceedings of the Fact-finding
Meeting and the National Workshop on Trafficking in Women and Children, 23-25 May, 1997,
Dhaka.
Shamim, Ishrat (1997), Trafficking in Women and Children: Asian Perspective with Special
Reference to Bangladesh, Paper presented at the national Workshop on Trafficking in Women
and Children, 23-25 May 1997, Dhaka.
United Nations Economic and Social Council (UNECOSOC), (2000), Integration of the Human
Rights of Women and the Gender Perspective, New York : UNECOSOC.
United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), Trade in Human Misery: Trafficking
in Women and Children, New Delhi
United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially
Women and Children, Supplementing the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized
Crime, 2 (2000) <http://www.uncjin.org/Documents/Conventions/dcatoc/
final_documents_2/convention_%20traff_eng.pdf> accessed on 21 May. 2015.
U.S. State Department, 2012 Trafficking in Persons Report
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/192594.pdf\ accessed on 21 May. 2015.
Koettl,Johannes, Human trafficking: modern day slavery and economic exploitation, World
Bank,2009
Osmany, R .Mufleh,Whither national Security Bangladesh, The University Press Ltd, 2007
Prabartana, Dhaka, 1995
Rahman, Mahfuzur, Human Trafficking: Women and Children are the worst victims, News
Network,2004
Report on South Asia workshop on trafficking in women and children, formulating strategies of
resistance, Oct, 1996
Website Browsed
http:// www.unicef-irc.org
http:// www.unodc.org