The government is planning to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India to prevent human trafficking and bring back woman and child victims of trafficking, official sources have said.
The Home Ministry’s proposal for the MoU is likely to be placed before the cabinet committee today. According to the proposal, Bangladesh and India would form a joint task-force to stop human trafficking.
Sources at the Home Ministry said the MoU would be signed during home secretary-level meetings that are set to be held in Dhaka from September 2-4.
State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan told the Dhaka Tribune: “We have already received assurance from our Indian counterparts on bringing back human traffickers under this MoU, who have stayed in India prisons for a long time.”
Some children and women victims of human trafficking would also be brought back after penning the MoU, he added.
According to the proposed draft, the authorities concerned from the two neighbouring countries would provide protection, security and ensure proper human dignity for victims of human trafficking. The authorities would also take legal action against human traffickers and work under a standard operating procedure as per the MoU.
The draft of the MoU also read that the deal would limit human trafficking practices between the two countries as the governments would raise the number of border guards and improve cooperation between countries’ public and private stakeholders.
If the proposed MoU is penned, human trafficking victims, especially women and children, would be rehabilitated by the authorities of their respective countries
Meanwhile, the Finance Ministry has recommended to the Home Ministry to include in their mid-term budget, the request for extra allocation needed for operations of rescue, recovery, repatriation and integration of victims of human trafficking under this MoU.