Mayor, 2 cops held:Daily Sun

As many as 25,000 Rohingyas and Bangladeshis were trafficked through the Bay of Bengal in only three months between January and March this year, according to a UNHCR report. This number is almost double of that over the same period in 2014. Some 300 people are estimated to have died in the sea while trying to undertake maritime journeys from the Bay and 620 others died since October 2014 due to st

arvation, dehydration and persecution by boatmen, the UN agency said. It has been stated by Bangladesh government sources that with a view to reviewing the situation, the Bangladeshi ambassador has gone on a visit to Sankhola province of Thailand which is infamous for human trafficking. Meanwhile, the Thailand government reportedly intends to go for a tripartite action with Malaysia and Myanmar to stop human trafficking along the Thailand border. To this end, Thailand Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Friday called upon these two countries to sit in a meeting. Besides, as part of the ongoing drive against human trafficking four people including the mayor of a town close to the Malaysian border have been arrested. Among the twelve people arrested so far two are police officials. Thai central police said, in the southern region their drive and investigation are going on. As a part of this, Banjong Pongfole, mayor of Pedang Beser town of southern Sonkhola province which is close to Malaysia was arrested yesterday morning.  Almost at the same time, a man named Supoz Munensiu was held. The deputy chief of Thailand central police Ayek Angsananonto stated that mayor Banjong is considered as the mastermind of human trafficking. There is allegation of killing the hostages at the slave camps for non-payment of the ransom.  The remaining two arrested police officials are chief of border patrol police platoon Lieutenant Mongcol Suro and squad leader of Pedang police station sergeant Asniran Nualrod. So far 36 people were identified to have been involved in the incidents of human trafficking. In the drive 12 people have been arrested in the last one week.  With a view to stopping the massive human trafficking through the southern border of the country, Thailand Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday called for a tripartite meeting with Malaysia and Myanmar. He told journalists, “I have directed the officials of foreign ministry to contact Myanmar and Malaysia authorities so that a tripartite meeting can be arranged to find out solution to the issue. I think, this meeting can be held towards the end of this month.” In this regard officials of Myanmar and Malaysia informed journalists that in their opinion their countries are not involved in human trafficking. However, if formally invited, they will consider the matter of joining. Bangladesh ambassador to Thailand Sayeda Muna Tasneem has gone to Thailand’s southernmost province Sonkhola to discuss about cooperation in preventing human trafficking and to see the two reportedly rescued Bangladeshis. A delegation led by the Ambassador reached Sankhola on Thursday. An official of Thailand foreign ministry is accompanying her. The two persons rescued from illegal immigrants’ slave camp in Sadao area of Sonkhola province on May 1, are being claimed to be of Bangladeshi origin. Of the two one is aged and another is a child. They are at a hospital now under police protection. The Bangladesh ambassador is scheduled to meet them. To get information about the reported Bangladeshis the ambassador will hold meetings with the governor and police chief of Sonkhola province. There will be exchange of views on cooperation for containing human trafficking. Meanwhile, state minister for foreign affairs Shahriar Alam wrote in his facebook account on Friday that the law enforcers in Bangladesh have made good progress in countering illegal migration. Several agents have been held in Cox’sbazar area. The drive against the offenders will continue, he added.