Bangladesh ranks first in irregular Europe aspirants in H1 2021 

Highlights-

• The impact of Covid-19 increases the risks of trafficking in persons
• Pandemic constrains efforts to promote safe, regular migration
• Bangladeshi nationals of the Mediterranean Sea and land arrivals in Europe was 3,332 first six months of this year
• At least 17 Bangladeshi migrants drowned in a shipwreck off Tunisia as they tried to cross the Mediterranean this month
• Deaths on maritime migration routes to Europe has more than doubled so far this year

Bangladesh topped among the common nationalities who took risky journeys crossing the Mediterranean Sea and land routes to reach Europe in the first six months of this year, according to the UN refugee agency UNHCR.  

The country's position was fourth a year ago. 

The grim scenario of irregular migration and human trafficking of Bangladeshis came up at a webinar on "Recent trends and Covid-19 impact in Bangladesh on Trafficking in Persons (TIP), including the way forward". 

The Bangladesh United Nations Network on Migration organised the event on Wednesday to mark World Day against Trafficking in Persons 2021. 

Speakers at the webinar said the ongoing pandemic coupled with restrictions on mobility and movements mainly imposed to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 had diverse impacts on people's vulnerability to human trafficking, including migrants from and to Bangladesh. 

"The changing geopolitics and development paradigm coupled with the recent Covid-19 pandemic constrain our efforts to promote orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration as associated with global compact in migration," said Bangladesh's Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen. 

In consequence, in recent times, a few thousand of Bangladeshi nationals have become victims to either trafficking or smuggling in several countries particularly in Libya, Tunisia, Malta, Bosnia and Herzegovina, he said as the chief guest. 

The foreign secretary said that from the initial interviews by Bangladesh embassy officials, some of the victims rescued from the Mediterranean seemed to have been lured by traffickers with false prospects of highly paid secured jobs in Europe. 

"These are manifestations of human trafficking. Our government considers this as a direct challenge to our zero-tolerance policy towards human trafficking," he added. 

The number of Bangladeshi nationals reaching Europe through the illegal routes was 3,332, which is 14.5% of the total aspirant migrants to Europe, from January to June this year, according to UNHCR.  

The other most common nationalities this year were from Tunisia, Syria, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Eritrea, Sudan, Guinea and Afghanistan. 

The number of people who died trying to reach Europe by sea has more than doubled so far this year, compared to the same period of 2020, according to a recent briefing released on 4 July by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

At least 1,146 people died attempting to reach Europe by the sea in the first six months of 2021, while last year 513 migrants drowned while trying to reach Europe by sea, said the IOM.    

At least 17 Bangladeshi migrants drowned in a shipwreck off Tunisia as they tried to cross the Mediterranean to Italy from Libya, while more than 380 were rescued by the coastguard, the Tunisian Red Crescent said in July. 

The boat had set off from Zuwara, on Libya's northwest coast, carrying migrants from Syria, Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Mali and Bangladesh, the humanitarian organisation said.

Libya is an important way station for Bangladeshi people attempting to reach Europe by journeying across the Mediterranean. At least 26 Bangladeshis – who were being trafficked to Europe illegally via Libya – were shot dead in May last year.

Earlier in May 2019, around 39 Bangladeshis died on the Mediterranean Sea while trying to reach Europe.

According to the Brac Migration Programme, at least 60,000 people have entered Europe irregularly in the last one decade.

Most of those who go to Europe in this way are between the ages of 25 and 40. People from Bangladesh are going to Europe by using at least 18 routes.

"Of course, not only travelling to Europe, but also in the coronavirus pandemic, human trafficking in the name of labour migration or trafficking of women and adolescents to India has not stopped. Instead, various means of social communication are being used in these cases," said Shariful Hasan, head of Brac Migration Programme. 

"Covid-19 has increased the risk of trafficking not only for potential migrants within Bangladesh, but also for the migrants in destinations who are looking for better opportunities in Europe. The mixed movement of irregular migrants, smuggled, displaced and trafficked population can only grow further in Covid-19. The smuggling of migrants is becoming almost inseparable from the trafficking in migrants," said Masud Ali, executive director of INCIDIN Bangladesh who was one of the keynote presenters at the event. 

"There is an urgent need of developing Covid-19 responsive arrangements for the protection of migrants at destinations. The Covid-19 induced contraction of global employment opportunities needs to be filtered into the migration promotion strategies," he added. 

The speakers pointed out that the loss of employment, reductions in income, limited means of securing livelihoods and nationwide school closures have created conditions that have amplified the risks of trafficking in persons.

Recently observed trends and media headlines suggest that traffickers are using online platforms such as TikTok and WhatsApp etc to lure potential victims of human trafficking.

Siobhan Mullally, UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, said, "We need urgently to address the increasing risks of child trafficking, to combat online exploitation, exploitation of migrant workers and the particular risks of sexual exploitation. Effective action is essential to ensure that multinational corporations meet their obligations of due diligence in supply chains."

The "Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants – Bangladesh" project, which is funded by the European Union and jointly implemented by UNODC and IOM, supported in organising the event.

Among others, Mia Seppo, UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh; Shahidul Haque, former foreign secretary; JoAnne Wagner, deputy US ambassador to Bangladesh; Md Zainal Abedin Mollah, additional secretary to the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment; Advocate Salma Ali, president of Bangladesh National Woman Lawyers' Association; and Giorgi Gigaur, IOM Chief of Mission in Bangladesh; also spoke at the programme.