Charge d'affaires at Embassy of Switzerland Suzanne Mueller has said there is a need for a “comprehensive support mechanism” for the victims of trafficking, the success of which will depend on strong coordination, monitoring and enhanced cooperation on the ground.

Mueller highlighted the importance of establishing a National Referral Mechanism (NRM) through coordinated efforts by governmental and non-governmental organizations alike, as “migration comes with the price of human suffering as labour rights and human rights are often not respected.”

Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs in cooperation with Winrock International, INCIDIN Bangladesh and the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh organized the ‘national consultation’ on the process of developing a ‘national roadmap’ for the victims of human trafficking. 

Md. Akhter Hossain, senior secretary (Public Security Division) at Ministry of Home Affairs spoke as the chief guest while AKM Mukhlesur Rahman, additional secretary (Political and ICT) spoke as special guest.

Bangladesh is committed to implement two important instruments to address the challenge of human trafficking - National Plan of Action (NPA) to Prevent and Suppress Human Trafficking (2018-22), and the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking, Act (PSHTA), 2012. 

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Akhter Hossain noted that the government has mandated initiatives to effectively combat and prevent human trafficking across the country, as a crucial aspect of public security in Bangladesh. 

As a direct result of the many initiatives undertaken thus far, Bangladesh has obtained ‘Tier-2’ status on the US Trafficking-In-Persons Report for 2021, he said.