Human trafficking
In Bangladesh, estimates on number of women and children trafficked range from 10,000 to 20,000 per year. Trafficking occurs across Bangladeshi borders to India, Pakistan, and Middle Eastern countries and most are trafficked for prostitution, domestic work, and labour, particularly in textile factories. Boys are often trafficked to Arab states to become beggars or camel jockeys. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in trafficking. Trafficking occurs through kidnapping, promises of better jobs, procuring through marriage, illegal migration, sexually abusing women and girls etc.
Break-up of joint family, dowry, unequal power management and gender discrimination, negligible decision-making status of women, negative attitude toward women and children, social stigma against single, unwed or widowed women, religious fundamentalism, child marriage, polygamy, divorce, incest, physical and mental illness, frustration in love and failure in life, enticements for better life, globalisation and urbanization, increased dependency on children income, natural disasters, family rejection, lack of shelter for women in distress, inadequate rural development projects and government policies, lack of security and safety, inefficiency and corruption of the law-enforcing agencies and women released from jail are contributing to child trafficking in Bangladesh.
Trafficking is a human rights issue with important ramifications in the area of health, law enforcing, and socio-economic development in general. Poverty, attitude toward women and deeply-entrenched gender discrimination, unemployment, cultural norms about marriage, well-organized networks of traffickers, and weak law enforcement are the critical factors relating to trafficking in Bangladesh. This criminal activity cannot be addressed through tougher laws alone. Several legislations, including the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, 2000, already have provision for penalties for violence against women and children, including trafficking and kidnapping. Social awareness, register marriage, rescue, rehabilitation, reintegration, educational program, media work, right uses of law and community programs are needed for trafficking prevention. The large networks of NGOs in Bangladesh and in the region that are active and have gained experience on trafficking can contribute significantly to the initiative for conducting research and suggest new activities to combat trafficking, rehabilitate victims, and provide appropriate shelter to people fleeing from traffickers. NGOs like BNWLA are more effective for rehabilitation. Finally it is high time to protest against trafficking by the government and other organizations to protect our young generation.
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