UK’s Daily Star says human trafficking business between Bangladesh and Malaysia is ‘booming’.
KUALA LUMPUR: Many will not know that a place known as “Malaysia Airport” exists in Bangladesh.
That is the nickname given to Katabuniya in Teknaf, a city which sits on the south-eastern tip of Bangladesh, according to UK’s Daily Star.
It is, however, not a nickname to be proud of – for it is a base for human trafficking of Bangladeshi job-seekers to Thailand and Malaysia.
Boats crammed with fortune-seekers leave Teknaf for Malaysia almost every night.
Its ‘strategic’ location makes the journey the shortest between Bangladesh and Malaysia.
It also has the added ‘advantage’ of secrecy. Plying a route along the edges of Bangladesh and Myanmar’s waters, traffickers are able to dodge the navy and coast guard of both countries.
Katabuniya is said to be well stocked with supplies needed for the journey, including dry food, medicine and life jackets. It also boasts dozens of mobile banking outlets through which ransom money is transacted.
Lodging is available for would-be job-seekers for Tk 500 a night.
There are two other ‘airports’ – in Khurermukh and Sonapara.
“The number of these ‘airports’ is increasing because the human trafficking business is booming,” the portal quoted a local as saying.
The human trade has changed the community from a fishing industry to a community that is either engaged in human trafficking or who are victims of it.
As a result, some 5,000 fishing trawlers are no longer in use and some 50,000 skilled workers are estimated to have been lured by traffickers in recent years.
Malaysians must question why the country is such a draw for human trafficking and so accommodating.
- See more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2015/05/06/msia-airport-in-bangladesh-a-base-for-human-trafficking/#sthash.yZhcuUtP.dpuf
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