The Home Minister said these things on Thursday (July 30) at a high-level national dialogue titled 'Trapped in the Scam: Ending Human Trafficking for Forced Criminality' held at the capital's Hotel Pan Pacific Sonargaon on the occasion of 'World Day Against Trafficking in Persons 2026'.
The minister said the nature of human trafficking is changing and complex. Criminal rings are now trapping young people and job seekers not only through conventional means but also through digital media, fake online recruitment platforms, and various social media platforms. Victims are being taken abroad with false promises of attractive employment and a better future. Later, they are imprisoned in cyber scam centers, subjected to extreme torture, intimidation, and forced to engage in criminal activities.
The minister further said that human trafficking rings are now engaging in crime using various digital technologies. To counter this threat, conventional law enforcement-based measures alone are not enough. Instead, a coordinated and strong prevention system must be built by involving technology companies, financial institutions, the private sector, and an aware society.
Highlighting the current government's steps to prevent human trafficking, the minister informed that keeping pace with the times, the government has achieved a historic milestone by aligning with international standards to combat crime. The government has formulated the 'Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling (Prevention and Suppression) Act, 2026'.
He said that this new law, formulated in line with the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its related protocols, has brought modern crimes such as online scams, technology-based enticement, and forced criminality under strict punishment. At the same time, the 'Human Trafficking Prevention and Suppression Rules, 2017' is being updated to accelerate the implementation process.
Additionally, the Ministry of Home Affairs, through discussions with all stakeholders, is finalizing the 'National Action Plan (2026-2030)', which will further strengthen the four main pillars: prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership.
Regarding the dignity and rehabilitation of victims, Salahuddin Ahmed said ensuring the protection of every victim of human trafficking is the government's moral and legal responsibility. For this, the National Referral Mechanism is being strengthened so that victims can be quickly rescued and provided with immediate legal, physical, mental, and rehabilitation assistance.
To ensure evidence-based policy making and effective case tracking, a modern 'Digital Trafficking Prevention Information Management Platform' is being developed. He called upon the media and civil society to ensure safe migration for young people, women, and aspiring migrants, and to create widespread public awareness against fake recruitment rings.
The national dialogue, chaired by Senior Secretary of the Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Manjur Morshed Chowdhury, was addressed by Law and Justice Division Secretary Md. Liakat Ali Molla, Inspector General of Police (IGP) of Bangladesh Police Md. Ali Hossain Fakir, European Union Charge d'Affaires Baiba Zarina, and IOM Bangladesh Chief of Mission and UN Migration Network Coordinator Dr. Laura Tom Bode as special guests.
Also present at the event were Director General of Bangladesh Coast Guard Rear Admiral Md. Ziaul Haque and Additional Director General of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Brigadier General Md. Sohrab Hossain Bhuiyan, ndc.
The welcome address was given by Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Shah Mohammad Nahian, Head of UNODC Programme Office Bangladesh, elaborated on the theme of this year's World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. After the inaugural session, an informative video was shown. The event was moderated by Rebeka Khan, Joint Secretary of the Political-1 Branch of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
After the inaugural session, a working session was held with a panel discussion titled 'Trapped behind the scam: Addressing trafficking for forced criminality, deceptive recruitment and online exploitation'. Moderated by UNODC South Asia National Programme Coordinator Tasnim Binte Karim, the panel included Head of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Acting Additional IGP Ali Akbar Khan, representative of the Italian State Police at the Italian Embassy in Dhaka Giuseppe Di Giovanni, Associate Director of BRAC's Migration Programme and Youth Platform Shariful Hasan, and victim Nahid Arman, who was freed from an online scam center in Cambodia.
This was followed by an open discussion and a puppet show titled 'Trapped in Pursuit of a Better Life'.
The event was jointly organized by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the Counter Trafficking Technical Working Group of the UN Migration Network.
Senior officials from various ministries, members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of international development partner organizations, members of law enforcement agencies, and media representatives were present at the national dialogue.
