Govt Takes Zero-Tolerance Stance on Trafficking, Scams

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed delivered the chief guest speech at a high-level national dialogue at a hotel in the capital today.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said today that the government has adopted a "zero-tolerance" policy towards human trafficking and technology-enabled transnational scam networks.

"Protecting citizens from trafficking and cyber-enabled exploitation remains a top priority," he said.

The minister made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a high-level national dialogue titled "Trapped Behind the Scam: Ending Human Trafficking for Forced Criminality" at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the capital to mark the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons 2026.

He said trafficking syndicates are increasingly using fake online recruitment platforms and social media to lure job seekers, particularly young people, with false promises of overseas employment.

Many victims are later confined in cyber scam centres abroad, where they are subjected to torture, intimidation and forced criminal activities, Salahuddin said.

He said conventional law enforcement alone is no longer sufficient to tackle the evolving threat and called for stronger collaboration among technology companies, financial institutions, the private sector and civil society.

Highlighting government initiatives, the minister said Bangladesh has enacted the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling (Prevention and Suppression) Act, 2026, aligned with the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and its protocols.

The law brings online scam-related trafficking, technology-enabled deception and forced criminality under stricter legal penalties, he said.

Salahuddin also said the government is updating the Human Trafficking Prevention and Suppression Rules, 2017, while finalising the National Action Plan (2026–2030), which focuses on prevention, protection, prosecution and partnership.

To strengthen victim support, he said the government is enhancing the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) to ensure timely rescue and provide legal, medical, psychological and rehabilitation services.

A digital trafficking information management platform is also being developed to improve case tracking and support evidence-based policymaking, he added.

He urged the media and civil society to raise awareness among young people, women and prospective migrant workers about safe migration and the risks posed by fraudulent recruitment networks.

The dialogue, chaired by Home Ministry Senior Secretary Manzur Morshed Chowdhury, was attended by senior government officials, diplomats, law enforcement representatives and international partners, including the European Union, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Special guests included Law and Justice Division Secretary Liaquet Ali Molla, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md Ali Hossain Fakir, Chargé d'Affaires of the European Union Baiba Zarina, and Dr Laura Tomm-Bonde, IOM's new Chief of Mission in Bangladesh and Coordinator of the UN Migration Network.

Also present were Bangladesh Coast Guard Director General Rear Admiral Md Ziaul Hoque and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Additional Director General Brigadier General Md Sohrab Hossain Bhuiyan.

The welcome address was delivered by Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Dr Ziauddin Ahmed, while Shah Mohammad Naheeaan, Head of the UNODC Programme Office in Bangladesh, presented this year's World Day Against Trafficking in Persons theme in detail.

A panel discussion on trafficking for forced criminality, deceptive recruitment and online exploitation was also held as part of the programme.