It seems that protectors have turned perpetrators.
Even though the law enforcement agencies are responsible for stopping human trafficking by apprehending the rackets and bringing them to book, some of the officials spare the smugglers in exchange for money.
Because of their direct involvement with the rackets, investigation into the cases see little or no progress, says an intelligence agency report submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office recently.
Along with this report, the agency submitted a separate report to the Home Ministry recommending action against 24 police officials.
Only 688 cases out of 2,501 cases filed since 2004 over the incidents of human trafficking have been disposed of, according to the monitoring cell of the Police Headquarters.
Police say the traffickers are active mainly at 60 points along the coastal areas of Patuakhali, Barguna, Satkhira, Jhalakathi, Khulna, Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar.
The secret report mentions that apart from local influential people and ruling party leaders, a section of officials in police, Border Guard Bangladesh and Coast Guard are involved with the smugglers.
The report says the law enforcers’ involvement has played a key role behind spreading of human trafficking rackets across the country. Moreover, lack of deployment of adequate Coast Guard members in the trafficking hotspots is described as another reason behind the unabated smuggling of Bangladeshis.
Sometimes the corrupt law enforcers in form the traffickers before conducting a drive. It is also learnt that when a ship is found trafficking Bangladeshis, sometimes they let the ship go away by taking Tk300-1,000 for each passenger.
The report says officials at some police stations and BGB outposts get monthly allowance and remain silent on the matter.
The report further mentions that the rescued persons are sued under the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act. But the revised law says a person who is trafficked against his wish cannot be brought under the Act.
The report suggests amendment of the law so that only those travelling willingly are sued and punished accordingly, and that the smugglers cannot get bail from courts.
The intelligence agency in its recommendations emphasised on strict action against the godfathers and the corrupt law enforcers. The report also suggests setting up permanent outposts near the hotspots for the Coast Guard.
In the report, the government was requested to monitor all bKash accounts in Teknaf, Ukhiya and Maheshkhali areas and bank accounts of the identified and suspected human traffickers.
AKM Shahidul Haque, inspector general of police, refuted the allegation of law enforcers’ involvement with the human trafficking rackets. He said stern action would be taken after investigation if they receive any valid complaints against any official.
BGB chief Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday that they mainly work on creating awareness against human trafficking along the border areas and take legal steps when necessary.
Asked about the involvement of officials in trafficking, the BGB director general said he had not such information, and vowed to take action if they got any.
MP Badi denies involvement
The report submitted to the PMO mentions names of 177 traffickers and 41 ringleaders.
Among the listed traffickers, 66 are in Cox’s Bazar; two in Sunamganj; eight in Habiganj; two in Kishoreganj; one in Pabna; two in Sirajganj; eight in Narsingdi; 19 in Narayanganj; one each in Gopalganj, Faridpur, Bandarban and Brahmanbaria; five in Shariatpur; 20 in Jessore; two in Satkhira; nine in Chuadanga; two in Meherpur; two in Bagerhat; 10 in Jhenidah; one in Chandpur; two in Chittagong; three in Comilla and nine each in Pirojpur and Bhola.
According to another report prepared in December by the Anti-Human-Trafficking Special Committee under the Police Headquarters, there were 11 international and 230 Bangladeshi human traffickers including 26 domestic money launderers engaged in the trafficking business.
Of them, five were killed recently in gunfights with the law enforcers while a dozen other suspected traffickers arrested in Cox’s Bazar.
Although human trafficking is not a new issue, it has increased rapidly in the last three years. Nearly 350 human traffickers are reportedly engaged in the illegal business but the law enforces never took any effective step to stop trafficking.
The intelligence agency report also mentions the name of Abdur Rahman Badi, an Awami League lawmaker from Cox’s Bazar.
When contacted, he denied having any involvement with the trafficking rackets. “It is nothing but a misleading information against me,” the MP told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.
Badi’s name also came up in the Home Ministry’s list of yaba smugglers. He was sued last year by the Anti-Corruption Commission for gaining wealth beyond the known income source.
Cases progress at a snail’s pace
The Police Headquarters formed a monitoring cell in June 2004 to check human trafficking. Since then, as many as 4569 victims were rescued and 2,501 cases filed. Of the cases, 688 have so far been disposed of.
During the time, 1,391 accused were acquitted, eight given death penalty, 280 life-term imprisonment while 91 got punishment in different terms.
Asked about delay in investigation, Md Abdur Razzak, superintendent of police of crime of at the Police Headquarters, told the Dhaka Tribune: “We submitted charge sheets on time but the cases are stuck in the court since there is a backlog of cases. More than 20 cases were filed 10 years ago.
“Since this is a cross-border crime, it takes more time to probe than other cases. Law enforcers must visit the crime scene - often a lengthy procedure - under Interpol protocol.”
