Savar, Bangladesh - 20 April 2023 – On 26 November 2022, UNODC organized a capacity building workshop for law enforcement agencies in Bangladesh under the framework of Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants – Bangladesh (GLO.ACT-Bangladesh). The workshop aimed to develop a capacity building strategy for law enforcement agencies with a focus on specialist police investigation skills and awareness among border guards of human trafficking and migrant smuggling.
The workshop had several objectives, including building capacity for specialist police in basic and advanced investigation skills, increasing awareness among Bangladeshi border guards of human trafficking and migrant smuggling, developing a national training curriculum for police training on human trafficking and migrant smugglick investigations, developing a manual of trafficking investigation standards for Bangladeshi specialist investigators, and identifying and addressing organizational and relational issues that create incentives or barriers to effective investigation and prosecution of human trafficking and migrant smuggling cases.
The workshop was conducted by Mahdy Hassan, UNODC National Programme Coordinator, GLO.ACT-Bangladesh, who facilitated discussions on the prevention of human trafficking with a positive prosecution approach and how it should be implemented throughout the country. The importance of increasing female officers' participation in human trafficking investigations was discussed, with a special emphasis on gender sensitivity.
During the thematic sessions, UNODC held a group discussion and SWOT analysis on increasing coordination for the implementation of the capacity building strategy. This group discussion provided a learning method for the law enforcement agencies to support and assist the victims through the criminal justice process. All key stakeholders were thoroughly evaluated, and surveys were conducted to allow those working in the criminal justice system to understand the current obstacles and identify the best way to move forward.
The closing remarks were given by A K M Mukhlesur Rahman, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs and the Project Director of the GLO.ACT-Bangladesh. The workshop provided valuable insights and recommendations for the law enforcement agencies in Bangladesh to effectively investigate and prosecute human trafficking and migrant smuggling cases while providing support and assistance to the victims.
12 participants (1 female/ 11 male) took part in the workshop.
The Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants - Bangladesh (GLO.ACT - Bangladesh) is a joint initiative by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) being implemented in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), led by the Government of Bangladesh.GLO.ACT-Bangladesh builds on a global community of practice set in motion in GLO.ACT 2015-2019 in 13 partner countries across Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America.
Through targeted, innovative and demand-driven interventions, the GLO.ACT aims to support the Government of Bangladesh and civil society organizations to more effectively fight the crimes of human trafficking and migrant smuggling across the country. The project works on developing evidence-based information on trafficking and smuggling patterns and trends, legislative review and harmonization, capability development of criminal justice actors, and international cooperation. The project also provides direct assistance to victims of human trafficking and migrants in vulnerable situations through the strengthening of identification, referral, and protection mechanisms. The project is fully committed to mainstreaming Human Rights and Gender Equality considerations across all of its activities.
The project is funded by the European Union.
For more information, please contact:
Mahdy Hassan, National Programme Coordinator
GLO.ACT-Bangladesh
unodc-glo.act@un.org
Twitter: @glo_act
