Thursday | 16 January 2025 | Reg No- 06
বাংলা
   
Thursday | 16 January 2025 | Epaper

Human trafficking: Mediterranean Coast is a death trap

Published : Thursday, 9 September, 2021 at 12:00 AM  Count : 1182
Md Zillur Rahaman
The largest route for human trafficking to Europe is the Libyan coastal areas of the Mediterranean Sea. This war-torn country has been used as a haven for human traffickers since long and this route has become known around the world as a death trap for illegal migrants. Frequently, death from boat capsize becomes the headline of media. Despite that this death procession and the heinous act of human trafficking is not stopped.

In May 2020, 26 Bangladeshis and 4 Africans were shot dead by human traffickers in the Libyan city of Mizdah and at least 11 others were injured in that incident. According to the Tunisian Red Crescent, 84 people were rescued in the Mediterranean in July 2021, but 43 drowned. Among the 84 people rescued are citizens of four countries including Bangladesh. News of such death in water is constantly coming as a mind-boggling way.

Human trafficking gangs take young people from different countries including Bangladesh, India and Pakistan to Libya. After capturing them and collecting up to Tk 6-7 lakh from their families, they are taken to Libya or other countries. They are handed over and embarked on a boat or trawler to cross the Mediterranean. In most cases, these migrants are buried in the sea. Again, many lives are spent in the torture and cruelty of human traffickers.

They are sent to Libya using three routes, including road and air. The latest shipped from Libya to Europe via the Tunisian coast. It takes two months to a year to complete the whole process at a cost of Tk 6 to 7 lakh. The preparation of passports of the victims, collection of visas, and purchase of tickets are all done under the supervision of this syndicate.

Libya is the first 'transit point' for European traffickers. The country is in a state of civil war in the last few years over control of Libya and it is their internal affair. But with this opportunity, the human trafficking ring has been active there for almost a decade. In Libya, brokers keep them captive in a house. Then began all the horrible events and Europeans were brutally tortured by the middlemen. Many people get the opportunity to work illegally if they are lucky. Again, some face jail. Many can reach the coast of Italy and many drown in the sea.

On May 9, 2019, about 85 to 90 people went missing when a boat sank en route to Italy illegally and out of these, 39 were Bangladeshis. In view of this incident, the relatives of the victim then filed two cases with Naria of Shariatpur and Bishwanath police station of Sylhet. Law enforcing agencies arrested three members of two trafficking gangs in a search operation in different parts of the capital on May 16 of that year. At that time at least 10 to 15 gangs of human trafficking were traced in Europe.

According to a recent report released by BRAC's migration program, 62,583 Bangladeshis have entered Europe illegally in the last 12 years. In the first six months of 2021, at least 3,332 Bangladeshis entered Europe on nine different routes. Most of them are between 25 and 40 years old. In addition, 17,639 Bangladeshis entered Europe between 2009 and May 2021 using the Eastern Mediterranean route (both sea and land routes) and another 758 using the Western Mediterranean route (both sea and land routes).

On the other hand, citing Frontex, which is in charge of coordinating Europe's border guards, BRAC said that most of the 37,198 Bangladeshis entered Europe using the Central Mediterranean route. The other four routes used to enter Europe are the Western Balkan Route, the Western African Route, the Circular Route from Albania to Greece, and the Eastern Border Route. BRAC's research has found 18 different routes that Bangladeshis use to travel to Europe illegally.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, from 2014 to June 2021, a total of 22,24,245 people from different countries reached to Europe by sea. At the same time, 21,707 people lost their lives. According to data from January to June 2021, most of the people who have tried to enter Europe in this way are Bangladeshis, about 14.5 per cent.

In the last few years, 2,284 people returning from Europe and Libya have been interviewed those had tried to go to Europe in this way. It has cost Tk 3 to 15 lakh per person to go to Europe in this way. According to the BRAC Migration Program, 'this is a terrible picture for human trafficking.'

In the same way, in the name of sending Rohingyas to Malaysia, the domestic and foreign clique has got into another dangerous game. They are quite active internationally. One after another human trafficker were killed in a gunfight with law enforcing agencies in the middle of last year. Consequently, the gang's activities had diminished. But this time they are trying to change the traditional way of human trafficking by targeting helpless beautiful Rohingya young women and sending them to Malaysia illegally by sea.

Numerous brokers from four countries, including Myanmar and Thailand, are directly involved in this cycle. They are recruiting young women as well as men of different ages from the surrounding areas including the Rohingya camp in Cox's Bazar by showing false temptations. These people have links with different syndicates from home and abroad.

According to BRAC's migration program, sending workers from Bangladesh to Libya, legally, has stopped for the past five years. Even then, many people are going to Libya from Bangladesh. Returning Bangladeshis have described various tragic incidents of oppression, including hostage-taking and ransom. International organizations have to take the responsibility so that no more immigrants die there. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare of Bangladesh have to play a role in this regard.

Human traffickers are becoming increasingly reckless. It is very important to identify them and bring them to book, otherwise they will continue to play a dangerous game with human lives.
Md Zillur Rahaman is a Banker and Freelance Columnist






LATEST NEWS
MOST READ
Also read
Banning outdoor New Year parties
BAC in higher education in Bangladesh
It's time to end the bloodshed in Yemen
Plastic waste threatens environment and biodiversity
Fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory export control is an important guarantee for globalization
Rapists still having a field day in Bangladesh
Int’l cooperation with BRI
Olaf Scholz: Agenda of Germany’s new leader
Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Online: 41053014; Advertisement: 41053012.
E-mail: district@dailyobserverbd.com, news©dailyobserverbd.com, advertisement©dailyobserverbd.com, For Online Edition: mailobserverbd©gmail.com
🔝
close