BNP Senior Joint Secretary General and Political Adviser to the Prime Minister Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Thursday underscored the need for stronger anti-human trafficking laws and the effective enforcement of the rule of law, saying trafficking networks flourish where justice is weak.
Addressing a discussion at the RC Majumdar Auditorium of the Theatre Building at the University of Dhaka, Rizvi said human trafficking syndicates are deeply rooted in society and can only be dismantled through impartial law enforcement.
"The government's priority should be to eliminate human trafficking networks, irrespective of their influence or connections," he said.
Emphasising that security is a fundamental right of every citizen, Rizvi warned that poor and lower-middle-income people would continue to fall prey to exploitation and modern-day slavery unless the state ensured legal protection and justice.
He said the lack of the rule of law has fuelled injustice and oppression at the grassroots, where many semi-literate and illiterate people are unable to access local authorities or assert their rights, leaving them particularly vulnerable to exploitation.
He said the state must fulfil its responsibility to protect society, observing that people from developing and Third World countries are among the most frequent victims of human trafficking.
Stressing the need for stronger action, Rizvi said the government must enact tougher anti-human trafficking laws and ensure the effective enforcement of the rule of law to curb the crime.
Rizvi said many people, unaware of the risks, sell their land to brokers and fraudulent agents in the hope of securing jobs abroad, only to become victims of human trafficking.
"After losing everything to trafficking syndicates, many are deported because of legal complications during transit or after reaching their destination. They return home with neither assets nor any means of livelihood," he said.
He said human trafficking is driven by a combination of political and social factors, identifying statelessness, limited economic opportunities and displacement as among its principal causes.
Linking child marriage and inadequate education to the crime, Rizvi said those forced into early marriage often become parents at a young age and are unable to continue their education.
"Without education, they are deprived of opportunities to become self-reliant and improve their lives, making them far more vulnerable to human trafficking," he added.
