KATHMANDU, Aug 25: The authorities have not been able to identify the people involved trafficking aspirant migrant workers to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka illegally.

At least 79 migrant workers--19 from Sri Lanka and more than 60 from Bangladesh -- were rescued by Nepali authorities during the first week of August.

No culprit has been identified so far, according to Senior Superintendent of Police Sarbendra Khanal. “The police investigation to find the traffickers is continuing.”

“We suspect the traffickers stay outside Nepal. That's why we are finding it hard to get to the root of the racket,” he told Republica. "The persons who were rescued from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka should cooperate with the police to help track the nexus of traffickers,” he told Republica.

The police had launched its investigation in the first week of June after receiving a tip off about 22 women stuck in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 19 of whom were rescued with the assistance from Sri Lankan police.

Similarly, 44 Nepali nationals were rescued on August 5 from Dhaka. They were lured by a Bangladeshi national with the promises of well-paid jobs in Dhaka.

Involvement of Nepali agents is inevitable in both the cases, Khanal said. Nepali human smugglers convince people at the villages by promising lucrative jobs. “We will try to get to the root of the problem which may take time,” Khanal said.

Meanwhile, the government has requested the Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi government to cooperate in the investigation of human traffickers. Similarly, it has beefed up the efforts to control possible human trafficking via India.

“Aspirant migrant workers, their relatives and all concerned authority should be aware regarding exploitation in the name of foreign jobs,” Khanal said.

"The concerned government agencies should also encourage citizens to go abroad through formal channels.”

 
• police clueless
 
• trafficking racket
 
• 79 nepalis
 
• sri lanka
 
• bangladesh