“People even many law enforcement agency personnel, are still unaware that there is any anti-human trafficking law in Bangladesh”, said Mr. Md. Apple Mahmud, Addl. DIG. of Tourist Police, Cox’s Bazar Region while he was speaking as Chief Guest in a training organized by YPSA (Young Power in Social Action) in Cox’s Bazar. He highly appreciated YPSA for organizing the training for the personnel of Tourist Police in Cox’s Bazar.
On March 28, 2024, YPSA in association with International Organization for Migration (IOM) organized a day long training titled, “Training on CT Issues, Human Smuggling, CT Act 2012, Case Management, VOT Reintegration and Referral Mechanism with Law Enforcement Agency” which was participated by the high officials of Tourist Police of Cox’s Bazar Region and APBn (Armed Police Battalion). The training was conducted in the conference room, Tourist Police, Cox’s Bazar Region, Cox’s Bazar.
At the onset of the training, Mr. Jishu Barua, Program Manager and Counter Trafficking Focal of YPSA shared the objectives behind organizing the training. He told that with four objectives, the training was organized which are as follows;
- To develop an in-depth understanding of the HT Act 2012 among the Law Enforcement Agency Personnel.
- To enhance capacity of investigation and prosecution of the HT Cases under the Act.
- To provide protection to the victims of trafficking ensuring their safety and well-being under the Act.
- To increase collaboration among different stakeholders for VoT reintegration and ensure punishment of traffickers under the Act.
As Chief Discussant, Mr. Mr. A. B. M. Abu Noman, Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Chittagong facilitated the training on Anti-Human Trafficking Act, 2012. Present were the representatives from IOM as well as senior management personnel from YPSA. Mr. Mohammad Shahidull Islam, Assistant Director & Head of Rohingya Response Program, YPSA delivered the greetings speech. He shared a profound background of YPSA and an overview of YPSA’s interventions of anti-human trafficking in Bangladesh. From IOM, Mr. Sayeduzzam gave a greetings speech. In his greeting speech, he shared the information of the IOM’s activities on counter trafficking issues in Cox’s Bazar. A team from IOM CT Unit led by Ms. Sara Sadiya Israt, Field Coordinator were present as observers in the training.
In the ceremonial segment of the training, Mr. A.H.M. Kamrul Islam, Additional SP, Police Bureau of Investigation, 8 APBn underscored the need of providing capacity building training to all the personnel of all the agencies to counter human training under the Anti-Human Training Act, 2012. He said, “We are in charge of the security in the Rohingya camps and we have to handle trafficking incidents there. If all the personnel of the force are aware of the HT Act, it will be wonderful and we will be able to provide support to the victims of trafficking as well as take initiatives to arrest the perpetrators for punishment under the Act.”
Mr. Mohammad Shahidull Islam, Assistant Director & Head of Rohingya Response Program, YPSA closed the training by giving VoTs of Thanks to everybody for actively participating in the sessions as well as for cooperating to organize the training successfully.
Snapshot of YPSA’s Counter Trafficking Project:
YPSA with support from the International Organization for Migration started the project titled, “Prevention and Response Activities Implement on Counter Trafficking Issues” in June, 2018. The overall objective of the project is “To ensure safety, well-being and dignity of the crisis affected Rohingya refugee and host community population by mitigating, preventing and protecting against trafficking in persons in Cox’s Bazar District.” The project has been implemented both in the host and Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar. The major activities of the project are (i) to community sensitization on anti-human trafficking, (ii) to enhance capacity of the relevant stakeholders on counter trafficking issues and (iii) Case Management of the Victims of Trafficking under the components of Prevention and Protection.
