As we mark the “World Day Against Trafficking in Persons” can you shed light on the current global trafficking trends, especially related to Bangladesh being one of the top source countries from where larger numbers of people attempt illegal entries to various European destinations.
While there are no clear, defined trafficking routes from Bangladesh to Europe, there is a growing concern around the high risks of trafficking and exploitation faced by Bangladeshi migrants along irregular migration routes.
Firstly, the majority of Bangladesh migrants migrate regularly and lawfully through established frameworks for overseas employment.
However, many Bangladeshis who aspire to migrate to Europe in search of better economic opportunities do so outside of legal frameworks, through brokers and intermediaries.
These intermediaries – smugglers -facilitate irregular migration to Europe through transit corridors—especially in Libya, Tunisia and through the Central Mediterranean.
Migrants, who often accumulate significant debts to these smugglers frequently face severe abuse, including extortion, detention, ransom demands and forced labour along the way.
These experiences may not always meet the strict legal definition of trafficking, but they involve coercion, deception and abuse, placing migrants in highly vulnerable situations.
And, because they have migrated irregularly, even if they do find employment they fall outside the safety nets normally required of employers, making them susceptible to exploitation, abuse and debt-bondage.
This is where smuggling, which in simple terms entails facilitating irregular entry into a country, evolves into trafficking.
An emerging trend of cyber-enabled trafficking and forced criminality is also gaining global attention, particularly in Southeast Asia.
While Bangladeshis are not yet a major group affected, some returnees have reported exploitation in scam centers in countries like Cambodia and Myanmar—an area that requires close monitoring.
In essence, the real threat lies not in direct trafficking networks, but in the exploitation risks embedded within irregular migration pathways, where smugglers and organized crime groups prey on the desperation of migrants.
What is the main social background and skills profile of the victims of trafficking in Bangladesh to Europe?
Most Bangladeshi victims of trafficking to Europe are young men aged 18–35 from low-income, rural or peri-urban areas, particularly districts with high migration rates such as Madaripur, Shariatpur, Faridpur, Sylhet and Rajshahi.
Many have limited education, often dropping out after primary school, and few formal skills.
These individuals are typically lured through informal networks or social media by sub-agents (dalals) promising lucrative opportunities abroad.
They often begin their journeys through regular migration channels but face exploitation en route—especially along the Central Mediterranean and Western Balkans routes—or in destination countries.
While low-skilled individuals remain most at risk, trafficking increasingly affects those with higher education, including high school and university graduates.
A growing concern involves cyber-enabled trafficking and forced criminality, where educated individuals, including those with IT or technical skills, are coerced into scam operations or fraudulent call centers abroad.
Women, though less represented in Europe-bound trafficking cases, face high risks in other regions, particularly the Gulf, where they are exploited in domestic work and hospitality sectors.
In short, trafficking affects Bangladeshis across all skill levels, with vulnerabilities driven more by economic desperation, misinformation, and unsafe migration pathways than education or occupation alone.
What are the consequences faced by victims of trafficking and irregular migration?
Irregular migration often leads to devastating social and economic consequences for returnees and their families.
Many incur heavy debts—taking loans or selling property—to pay smugglers, often amounting to Tk12,00,000–22,00,000 for routes to Europe.
Families may also be forced to pay ransoms, further deepening financial distress.
Upon return often empty-handed—migrants face stigma, shame and threats from moneylenders, making reintegration difficult.
Families left behind also suffer, facing community ostracization and economic hardship.
This pressure sometimes pushes individuals to attempt migration again through even riskier routes, often agreeing to “pay-as-you-go” arrangements that expose them to forced labour and exploitation, especially in transit countries like Libya.
Women face additional layers of harm—often assumed to be sexually exploited, many are rejected by their families or spouses.
IOM responds by conducting family assessments prior to return and providing Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS).
As part of its Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) efforts, IOM also engages families and communities to reduce stigma and promote acceptance of returnees.
What are you as an UN agency doing in collaboration with the Bangladesh government to help Bangladesh build its capacity to fight illegal migration and trafficking in persons?
IOM works closely with the Government of Bangladesh—particularly the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs—through a multi-pronged approach to combat irregular migration and human trafficking:
- Prevention and Awareness: IOM supports national awareness campaigns and Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) strategies, aligned with the National Plan of Action, using community engagement, education, arts, and sports to promote safe migration and inform at-risk populations.
- Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR): In collaboration with national and international partners, IOM facilitates the dignified return and reintegration of Bangladeshi migrants. Support includes vocational training, financial literacy, business development, and youth-focused livelihood initiatives to reduce re-migration risks.
- Capacity Building and Policy Support: IOM strengthens institutional capacity by training law enforcement, judiciary, and policy actors on victim identification, case management, and legal frameworks. It has developed operational tools and contributed to anti-trafficking legislation and policies.
- Immigration and Border Governance: IOM enhances border systems and infrastructure by developing SOPs, supporting identity management systems, and providing technical training on ethical, rights-based migration management.
- Regional and Cross-Border Cooperation: Through platforms like the Bali Process and BIMSTEC, IOM promotes international coordination. As Chair of the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Technical Working Group (CTIP TWG), it advises the government on national anti-trafficking efforts and programmatic responses.
This comprehensive collaboration reinforces Bangladesh’s capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to human trafficking and irregular migration.