Preparations for setting up separate ‘Human Trafficking Crime Tribunals’ in seven divisional cities are going on and the tribunals are supposed to start operation from March next. To accelerate settling human trafficking cases, all the required formalities has been finalised while the law ministry is set to issue a notification by this month.
In order to create various judiciary positions, 35 in total, for the tribunal the finance ministry sent a letter to the law ministry to expedite the orders. Later, law ministry forwarded the letter to the administrative development secretary committee for approval. To this regard, law minister Anisul Haque told the media that immediately after getting approval from the finance ministry, we would start the tribunal trial procedures. Within March, we will be able to start the activities of Human Trafficking Crime Tribunals. Notification will be issued by this month and the government has the plan to set up human trafficking tribunal in the remaining district (Mymensingh) as well.
As per section 21(1) of the Act of 2012, the government is obliged to set up an Anti-human Trafficking Offence Tribunal for the speedy trial of offenses. The law also mandates to finish the case within 180 days. Section 19 (6) states that to monitor these cases there will be a monitoring cell.
The law also states that a person committing the offense of human trafficking shall be punished with imprisonment, not exceeding imprisonment for life, but not less than five years of rigorous imprisonment, and a fine of not less than Tk500,000. Former chairman at National Human Rights Commission Kazi Reazul Hoque told Bangladesh Post, “We congratulate the government for such anti human trafficking tribunal which was a long standing demand of the human rights activists. I believe it will help to reduce trafficking. The government will providing all necessary supports in functioning the tribunal”.
“Human trafficking is the worst form of violation, the country is very much concerned in the delayed process of the human trafficking cases,” he added. Law ministry said that at present, at least 6000 cases are pending related to human trafficking. At present, the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunals are conducting these cases. Once the separate tribunal starts its work, these cases will shift there.
“Once these cases shifted to the new human trafficking tribunal, this will help the speedy settlement of cases for both tribunals. Justice Seekers will also get advantages”, they added. Brac’s Migration Program Head Shariful Hasan welcoming the government move told Bangladesh Post, “Undoubtedly it’s a good start. These tribunals in different districts will help to settle the pending cases earlier and people engage with trafficking will have a lesson not to commit such offence again”.
