Speakers at a meeting at Shariatpur district on Friday highlighted the importance of creating mass awareness on the negative aspects of the human trafficking so that everyone is encouraged for safe migration.

Local leaders, media, NGOs, Imams, school and college teachers have been requested to play active role in this regard.

The speakers appreciated such initiative of having all the stakeholders in one platform to address the illegal migration issue properly.

The town hall meeting on "Preventing Human Trafficking and Encouraging Safe Migration" held at the Pourashava auditorium of Shariatpur district was arranged by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the cooperation of the Shariatpur District Administration.

Nahim Razzaq, Member of Parliament and Member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spoke as the chief guest.

Enrico Nunziata, Ambassador of Italy to Bangladesh was present as the guest of honour.

The other dignitaries who attended the event as special guests were Masud Bin Momen, Foreign Secretary, Md. Akhter Hossain, Senior secretary, Public Security Division, Ministry of Home Affairs, Dr. Benazir Ahmed, BPM (Bar), IGP,  Dr. Ahmed Munirus Saleheen, Secretary, Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.

The event was also attended by other senior officers of the MoFA, MoHA, MEWOE, IOM representatives, local leaders, trafficking victims and other relevant agencies.

The foreign secretary moderated a session on experience sharing and lessons learnt related to illegal migration to Libya, Italy and other countries.

Secretary of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment moderated the session on recommendation and way forward.

Similar town hall meetings will be convened by MoFA in other districts in future.

Bangladesh has made key progress in combating human trafficking by increasing investigations, prosecutions, and convictions against human traffickers, according to the US State Department's Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report 2022 published recently.

However, there is still much work to be done to identify and care for trafficking victims and eliminate the exploitation of labourers seeking to work overseas, according to the report.

Bangladesh moved from Tier 3 to Tier 2 in 2020. The country remained in Tier 2 in the 22nd annual report.