He said this while speaking as chief guest at a divisional workshop held in Sylhet with the aim of effectively implementing the new law. The workshop was organized by the Ministry of Home Affairs with the support of the British High Commission and Justice and Care, Bangladesh.
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Human trafficking and migrant smuggling defined as separate crimes: Senior Home Secretary
The senior secretary said it is important to properly identify the difference between human trafficking and migrant smuggling and to conduct investigations and take legal action according to the nature of the crime. Every person who attempts to go abroad through irregular routes should not be considered a criminal. Many may be victims of fraud, exploitation, or human trafficking.
He said migrant smuggling is an organized and transnational crime. Therefore, along with border surveillance, relevant agencies must work in coordination to identify and bring visa and document forgery, brokers and intermediaries, and criminal gangs under the law.
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The workshop discussed various provisions of the new law, fake visas and documents, identification of criminal gangs, protection of potential victims, investigation methods, and inter-agency coordination. Participants also highlighted experiences and challenges regarding field-level information collection, identification of brokers and intermediaries, and verification of visas and documents.
Speakers said that taking advantage of employment and migration opportunities, various gangs are committing crimes such as fraudulent recruitment, fake visas and documents, and sending people abroad through illegal routes. To address these, it is necessary to identify related networks, financial transactions, and cross-border links.
The workshop was presided over by Sylhet Divisional Commissioner Md. Mashiur Rahman. Present were Sylhet Range DIG Mohammad Jahangir Hossain, Sylhet Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sarwar Murshed Shamim, Deputy Commissioner Abdullah Al Mamun, and officials from relevant government agencies and partner organizations.