Dhaka, Bangladesh 20 April 2023 – On 21 July 2022, UNODC under the framework of the Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants-Bangladesh (GLO.ACT-Bangladesh), organized the ‘Regional Consultation on Addressing Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants’ in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. The objective of the consultation was to enhance the capacity of criminal justice practitioners and relevant officials to combat trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants in Cox’s Bazar, a district that has seen an exacerbation in the trafficking situation since the Rohingya influx in 2017.
Representatives from various organizations, including the Ministry of Home Affairs, local government, office of the Refugee, Relief and Repatriation Commissioner, judiciary, prosecutors, different branches of police, Border Guard of Bangladesh, Ansar-VDP, UN agencies, NGOs, and INGOs operating in Cox’s Bazar, attended the day-long consultation.
The consultation was divided into three groups to discuss the trends of human trafficking and migrant smuggling in Cox’s Bazar and the scope of GLO.ACT-Bangladesh's intervention in the district. The objective was to measure the priority areas, understand the most urgent needs, ensure the best use of available resources, and foster synergies where possible while not duplicating work.
At the beginning of the consultation, Mahdy Hassan, National Programme Officer, UNODC, provided an overview of the GLO.ACT-Bangladesh project. The consultation concluded with the stakeholders' recommendations expressing their support for GLO.ACT-Bangladesh's intervention in Cox’s Bazar.
The GLO.ACT-Bangladesh project aims to combat trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants by strengthening the criminal justice response. By organizing such consultations, GLO.ACT-Bangladesh is ensuring that the criminal justice practitioners and relevant officials are equipped with the necessary knowledge and resources to address the issue of trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants in Cox’s Bazar.
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). 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