Civil society organisations demand justice for 26 Bangladeshis killed in Libya
According to the UNHCR, about 2.5 million people crossed the Mediterranean from 2014 to April 2020
The human traffickers involved in murdering 26 Bangladeshis in Libya must be brought to justice without delay, members of the Civil Society for Global Commitments on Migration said on Friday.
In this regard, Bangladesh should take help from international organisations, if needed, they said in a joint statement.
The statement mentions that although the ongoing civil war in Libya is their internal affair, human traffickers have taken advantage of the situation and been active there for almost a decade.
They are taking an average of Tk3-4 lakh from each migrant by promising to send them to Europe, the statement reads, adding the migrants are held hostage in the camps across the Libyan border near the Mediterranean, from where they are later sent to Europe in small boats.
"If needed, different countries should work collaboratively to arrest and bring the traffickers to justice, in addition to finding all those who were involved with the incident," the statement reads.
The Civil Society for Global Commitments on Migration said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment have to play a strong role to protect migrant lives.
According to the UNHCR, about 2.5 million people crossed the Mediterranean from 2014 to April 2020. While crossing amid such risks, more than 19,000 people lost their lives, including many Bangladeshis.
From January to April this year, 693 Bangladeshis were detained while trying to enter Europe, the statement adds.
The organisation called for an investigation into how Bangladeshis were going to Libya even though it has been five years since Bangladesh stopped sending workers to the African nation.
People from few specific areas of Bangladesh, including Sylhet, Sunamganj, Noakhali, Madaripur and Shariatpur migrate to Europe this way, the statement mentions.
The Civil Society for Global Commitments on Migration is a network of Bangladeshi non-government organisations that work on global commitments on migration and development. Members of the organisation include Brac, OKUP, Warbe, Awaj, BILS, Devcom, Migration News, Films4Peace, and Kormojibi Nari, among others.
