Dhaka, Bangladesh - 25 April 2023 – On 24 January 2023 law enforcement agencies from all over the country gathered at the Police Staff College for a workshop organized by UNODC under the Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants – Bangladesh (GLO.ACT- Bangladesh) initiative.
The objective of the workshop was twofold - to create a concise course on Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and the Smuggling of Migrants (SOM) to be introduced at the Police Staff College and to revise the training manual on TIP in Bangladesh, which had been previously developed by UNODC.
The workshop was led by Eurídice Márquez, UNODC HQ GLO.ACT Programme Management Officer, and Matiur Rahman Sheikh, Member Directing Staff at the Police Staff College. Through the workshop, participants were able to provide valuable feedback on the curriculum and training manual, ensuring that they are practical and tailored to meet the needs of investigating officers in Bangladesh.
During the group discussion, the importance of female officers' participation in the investigation of human trafficking cases at all stages was recognized by all relevant stakeholders. Additionally, the participants stressed the importance of confidentiality of the victim's identity during the prosecution stage to prevent any media exposure.
To conclude the workshop, a SWOT analysis was conducted to increase coordination for implementing the capacity-building strategy with the stakeholders. UNODC collected feedback to develop the short course curriculum and revise the training toolkit accordingly.
The workshop was inaugurated by Rezaul Haq, Senior Director Staff, Police Staff College, along with other dignitaries like Marco Teixeira, Regional Representation, UNODC ROSA; Aimee Comrie, GLO.ACT Programme Coordinator, UNODC HQ; Nurul Quader, Programme Manager – Governance, Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh, and Abu Hena Mostofa Zaman, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs.
Following the inauguration ceremony, the esteemed guests proceeded to inaugurate the UNODC library corner, located at the Central Library of the Police Staff College.
The workshop was attended by 56 participants (14 females/42 males) from various law enforcement agencies such as the Police Staff College Training wing, Police Staff College Curriculum and Evaluation wing, Criminal Investigation Department, Police Bureau of Investigation, Rapid Action Battalion, Police Headquarters, Training Wing, and Ministry of Home Affairs.
The workshop was a step forward in countering human trafficking and migrant smuggling in Bangladesh, and the participants left with a renewed sense of commitment to the cause.
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.
