The Bangladesh Ministry of Home Affairs introduced on 21 December
2010 a draft counter-trafficking legislation for consultation with
government ministries and civil society partners combating human
trafficking.

The proposed law was presented during an IOM organized day of
national consultation which brought together the Minister for Home
Affairs, Shahara Khatun, and the State Minister for Women and
Children Affairs, Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury alongside
representatives from the judiciary, law enforcement agencies, the
national human rights commission and labour recruitment
agencies.

Bangladesh is particularly vulnerable to human trafficking with
increasing number of people seeking overseas employment to secure
economic stability. In 2009, approximately 900,000 migrant workers
went abroad; a figure that does not include irregular migrants even
more susceptible to labour trafficking.

The 2010 US State Department Trafficking in Persons report
highlights the lack of adequate legislation in the country for
criminal prosecution and conviction of labour traffickers.

IOM technical assistance in developing the new legislation is
part of broader efforts to support the government in its efforts to
reduce labour trafficking, including improving oversight of
Bangladesh’s international recruiting agencies, providing
protection services for adult male victims of trafficking and
improving consular assistance in embassies abroad.

“The draft legislation stands up to international
standards and also to the various Conventions and commitments that
the government has signed, such as the UN Convention for the
Suppression of Trafficking in Persons and of the Exploitation of
the Prostitution of Others, CEDAW and CRC,” Minister Shahara
Khatun said. “It represents a major achievement in addressing
the shortcomings in the existing laws regarding trafficking, as it
includes all forms of trafficking and is not restricted to
trafficking of women and children.”

Rabab Fatima, IOM’s Regional Representative in Dhaka
noted, “This comprehensive draft law effectively brings
together various counter-trafficking elements that were scattered
under different laws and codes.”

For further information, please contact:

Asif Munier

IOM Dhaka

Tel: +880 1 714 114 6590

E-mail: "mailto:amunier@iom.int" target="_blank" title=
"">amunier@iom.int

Farhana Chowdhury

Tel. +880.2.988.9765

E-mail: "mailto:fchowdhury@iom.int" target="_blank" title=
"">fchowdhury@iom.int