Government follows zero tolerance against human trafficking and organised crime, home minister tells Winrock chief
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said the government is following a zero tolerance policy in preventing human trafficking and suppressing organised crime.
He made the remark on Monday (26 October) when Maksuda Maksudi, global president and CEO of Winrock International, paid a courtesy call on him at his office at the home ministry in the Secretariat.
During the meeting, the human trafficking prevention and suppression law, the digital National Referral Mechanism (NRM) platform and the sustainable rehabilitation of trafficking victims were discussed in detail.
The home minister said the government is effectively operating the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) and the human trafficking prevention fund to protect and rehabilitate trafficking victims and to bring offenders swiftly under the law.
He also said the ministry is providing the necessary cooperation so that NGO activities and approvals for new projects in this area are completed quickly.
He further said immediate legal action has been taken against rings involved in fraud and human trafficking that use cyberspace and fake online job advertisements in the name of foreign employment.
Winrock International president Maksuda Maksudi expressed satisfaction at working in partnership with the home ministry since 2008 to prevent human trafficking in Bangladesh.
She reiterated Winrock's full support for implementing the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Prevention and Suppression Act, 2026 and the national action plan for 2026-2030.
Home ministry senior secretary Manzur Morshed Chowdhury, additional secretary Dr Ziauddin Ahmed, joint secretary Rebeka Khan, and Winrock International Bangladesh project directors Dipta Rakshit and Nasiruddin Mahmud Chowdhury were present at the meeting.
