DHAKA : Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed today said the government has adopted a "zero tolerance" policy against human trafficking and technology-enabled transnational scam networks.

"Protecting citizens from trafficking and cyber-enabled exploitation remains a top priority," he said.

The minister made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a high-level national dialogue titled "Trapped behind the Scam: Ending Human Trafficking for Forced Criminality" at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the capital, marking the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons 2026.

He said trafficking syndicates are increasingly using fake online recruitment platforms and social media to lure job seekers, particularly young people, with false promises of overseas employment.

Many victims are later confined in cyber scam centres abroad, where they are subjected to torture, intimidation and forced criminal activities, Salahuddin said.

He said conventional law enforcement alone is no longer sufficient to tackle the evolving threat and called for stronger collaboration among technology companies, financial institutions, the private sector and civil society.

Highlighting government initiatives, the minister said Bangladesh has enacted the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling (Prevention and Suppression) Act, 2026, aligned with the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and its protocols.

The law brings online scam-related trafficking, technology-enabled deception and forced criminality under stricter legal penalties, he said.

Salahuddin also said the government is updating the Human Trafficking Prevention and Suppression Rules, 2017, while finalising the National Action Plan (2026-2030) focusing on prevention, protection, prosecution and partnership.

To strengthen victim support, he said the government is enhancing the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) to ensure timely rescue and provide legal, medical, psychological and rehabilitation services.

A digital trafficking information management platform is also being developed to improve case tracking and evidence-based policymaking, he added.

He urged the media and civil society to raise awareness among youths, women and prospective migrant workers about safe migration and the risks posed by fraudulent recruitment networks.

The dialogue, chaired by Senior Secretary of the Home Ministry Manzur Morshed Chowdhury, was attended by senior government officials, diplomats, law enforcement representatives and international partners, including the European Union, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Special guests included Secretary of the Law and Justice Division Liaquet Ali Molla, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md. Ali Hossain Fakir, Charg‚ d'Affaires of the European Union Baiba Zarina, and Dr. Laura Tomm-Bonde, IOM's new Chief of Mission in Bangladesh and Coordinator of the UN Migration Network.

Among those present were Director General of the Bangladesh Coast Guard Rear Admiral Md Ziaul Hoque and Additional Director General of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Brigadier General Md Sohrab Hossain Bhuiyan.

The welcome address was delivered by Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed, while Shah Mohammad Naheeaan, Head of the UNODC Programme Office in Bangladesh, presented this year's World Day Against Trafficking in Persons theme in detail.

A panel discussion on trafficking for forced criminality, deceptive recruitment and online exploitation was also held as part of the programme.