He made these remarks as the chief guest at a national dissemination meeting on the 'Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Prevention and Suppression Act, 2026' held at the Ruposhi Bangla Grand Ballroom of the Hotel Intercontinental in the capital on Tuesday morning. The event was jointly organized by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Justice and Care, Bangladesh.
The meeting was chaired by Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Manjur Morshed Chowdhury. Special guests present included Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen, Inspector General of Police Md. Ali Hossain Fakir, Director General of Bangladesh Coast Guard Rear Admiral Md. Ziaul Haque, Director General of BGB Major General Md. Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, and Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed.
The Home Minister said the government is determined to prevent human trafficking and migrant smuggling through strong laws, effective institutional coordination, and a victim-centered justice system. He said the new law is an important milestone for Bangladesh in combating these transnational crimes.
He further stated that successful implementation of the law requires coordinated efforts among government institutions, law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, development partners, and civil society. The new law clearly defines human trafficking and migrant smuggling as separate offenses. It also includes provisions to strengthen investigation and prosecution processes, ensure the protection of victims and witnesses, and expand international cooperation.
The Minister informed that the law incorporates the principle of non-punishment of victims in line with internationally recognized norms, ensuring their dignity, rights, and safety at every stage of the judicial process.
Participants at the event exchanged views on various provisions of the new law, the implementation framework, and strengthening inter-institutional coordination in the criminal justice process from investigation to trial. The responsibilities and priorities of different institutions for the effective application of the law were also discussed.
At the event, Country Director of Justice and Care, Bangladesh, Mohammad Tariqul Islam, presented the context, rationale, and key provisions of the new law. Subsequently, a high-level discussion was held on the priorities and coordination for implementing the law.
The meeting was attended by representatives from Bangladesh Police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Bangladesh Coast Guard, CID, Special Branch (SB) of Police, National Security Intelligence (NSI), the judiciary, prosecution, various government departments, diplomatic missions, UN agencies, international development partners, non-governmental organizations, and civil society.
Referring to human trafficking and migrant smuggling as major threats to national and regional security, speakers at the event emphasized the need to further strengthen national and international cooperation to prevent these crimes, protect victims, and take effective action against organized criminal gangs.
