Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said the present government is pursuing a zero-tolerance policy towards human trafficking and organised crime.
“Coordinated efforts are underway to protect victims, ensure their sustainable rehabilitation and bring perpetrators to justice,” he said.
He made the remarks during a courtesy meeting with Maqsoda Maqsodi, global president and CEO of Winrock International, at his office at the Ministry of Home Affairs at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Monday.
The home minister said the government was taking steps to ensure effective implementation of the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) and the Human Trafficking Prevention Fund to strengthen victim protection and rehabilitation and expedite legal action against those involved in trafficking.
He said the ministry was also extending necessary support to expedite approval processes for NGO activities and new projects related to preventing human trafficking.
Referring to fraudulent schemes linked to overseas employment, Ahmed said immediate legal action had been taken against trafficking networks operating through cyberspace and fake online job offers.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed the implementation of the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Prevention and Suppression Act, 2026, the digital NRM platform and sustainable rehabilitation programmes for trafficking survivors.
Maqsodi expressed satisfaction with Winrock International’s partnership with the Ministry of Home Affairs, in combating human trafficking in Bangladesh since 2008.
She reaffirmed the organisation’s full support for implementing the 2026 Act and the forthcoming National Plan of Action (NPA) for 2026–2030.
Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Manzur Morshed Chowdhury, Additional Secretary (Political and Immigration) Dr Ziauddin Ahmed and Joint Secretary of the Political-1 Wing Rebeka Khan, attended the meeting.
Cox’s Bazar Life Desk/BSS
