500 Ctg Hill Tracts girls trafficked to China, locals claim demanding immediate action

More than 500 teenage girls and women from small ethnic communities in Chittagong Hill Tracts have been trafficked to China in recent years by fraudulent groups, local community members have claimed.

"Over the past few years, more than 500 hundred girls, mostly aged 13, have been trafficked to China using fake documents. Some of these trafficked women have come live on social media and shared their tragic stories," Chattogram Hill Women's Federation President Pinky Chakma said today (31 May) at a human chain programme at Chittagong Press Club in the port city.

"So far 100 women have returned to Bangladesh," she said, demanding swift action against the traffickers.

According to locals, Chinese nationals, alongside groups of locals, lure the girls with promises of a better life, only to be trapped in marriages and sold.

"People from various communities, including Chakma, Marma, Tripura, Bengali and Chinese nationals are involved in the trafficking network. The offices of the agencies facilitating this trafficking are located in Uttara and Bashundhara," alleged Kiko Dewan, an organiser of the human chain.

"15 individuals involved in the trafficking have provided written assurances that they will no longer engage in such activities," he added.

Also speaking on the occasion, Chittagong University (CU) Pali Department Professor Dr Jinabodhi Bhikkhu said, "Simple and innocent hill women are being lured into marriages with the promise of a better life in China. These women, hoping for a brighter future for themselves and their families, are being sold like commodities in China.

"We demand the government and relevant authorities take action on this matter," he added.

Bangladesh Tripura Samik Sangsad Central Committee Vice President Upamohan Tripura said, "Traffickers use online and social media advertisements to carry out their deceitful activities, which often go unnoticed by authorities. Despite informing the police about the operations being conducted from several apartments in the Bayezid area, no action has been taken."

The young people of these communities made the demand at the human chain moderated by an organiser Arunjoy Chakma this morning.

More than 50 young men and women took part in the programme under the banner of the conscious Jumma Society of Chattogram.

However, Mir Abu Tauhid, superintendent of police (SP) of Rangamati Hill District told The Business Standard that a case has been filed over the alleged trafficking, and the CID is investigating it.

"During the investigation we have found that most of the women went to China voluntarily, seeking a better life. We have spoken to a few of them, and they said they are doing well and do not want to return to Bangladesh," he claimed.

"Our work is to determine whether any criminal rings are involved in trafficking. We are also keeping the situation under intelligence surveillance," the SP said.