Traffickers must face ‘exemplary punishment’ for the Mediterranean deaths

THE recent deaths of 22 Bangladeshi migrants occurred in a devastating incident, while attempting a perilous Mediterranean crossing from Libya to Greece.

This event highlights an ongoing humanitarian crisis where human traffickers exploit the “European dream” of our young, desperate individuals.

Survivors say that they sailed in a small rubber boat after each individual had paid around Tk 12 lakh to traffickers.

In the next six days, the boat drifted away in the Mediterranean without food and water, leading to the deaths of 22 people.

They also confirmed that all victims had died before rescue near Crete in Greece. Most of the victims have come from low-income families in Sunamganj.

Legal experts suggest that strict enforcement of human trafficking laws is crucial to curb this illegal trafficking, protect survivors and prosecute traffickers.

Effective enforcement requires specialized investigations, addressing the root causes of vulnerability and prioritizing victim-centered approaches.

The frameworks must align with international standards to ensure justice and protection.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s ambassador to Greece said that efforts are under way to secure consular access to support for survivors and confirm the identities of the deceased.

The monitoring Cell for Combating Trafficking in Human suggests that 10,579 victims were rescued and 14,583 traffickers were arrested from 2009-2025.

But most of the traffickers quickly secured bail while only 247 cases have resulted in conviction.

Even when convection occurs, the kingpins of trafficking rackets often remain beyond legal accountability.

It is to be noted that Bangladesh enacted the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act 2012 to combat trafficking and protect victims, but it took the government nearly eight years to establish special tribunals to handle such cases. In July 2025, 4,291 human trafficking cases were pending with special tribunals.

Experts blame the low conviction rate on the absence of proper evidence in the charge sheet, non-appearance of witnesses, out-of-court settlements, the accused reaching a compromise with victims and lack of expertise in dealing with the cases.

To combat human trafficking, the government should under the circumstances, take urgent steps to expedite the legal process and exemplarily punish the people involved in human trafficking.

It should give clear legal direction to expedite investigation aimed at ensuring conviction.

It should also equip and empower consulates of Bangladesh in different countries for proper repatriation of those already trafficked.

In addition, the trafficked victims who managed to return to Bangladesh should be properly rehabilitated and compensated with adequate social support.