Case Explained:This article breaks down the legal background, charges, and implications of Case Explained: Bangladesh Strengthens Fight Against Transnational Crime Through Enhanced Mutual Legal Assistance and Financial Investigations – Legal Perspective
Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh – In a strategic move to strengthen cross-border cooperation and enhance national capacity in tackling transnational organized crimes such as human trafficking and migrant smuggling, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) of Bangladesh launched 3 days specialized workshop on “Mutual Legal Assistance for Criminal Matters to support parallel financial investigations and prosecutions into Trafficking in Persons” on 15 – 17 April 2025 in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. This initiative is funded by the European Union (EU) under the regional project “Preventing and Addressing Trafficking in Human Beings and the Smuggling of Migrants in South Asia”, implemented by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Human trafficking is fundamentally profit-driven, with criminal networks generating vast sums in illicit proceeds annually. Following the money trail is an effective way to identify trafficking networks and secure convictions, and Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) plays a critical role in obtaining evidence across jurisdictions, including banking records, witness testimonies, and asset freezing.
“Creating a robust institutional response and enabling effective MLA frameworks are essential for dismantling criminal networks and recovering illicit assets. Bangladesh remains committed to ensuring that perpetrators are brought to justice through international legal cooperation,” said Nasimul Ghani, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs of Bangladesh, during the opening ceremony.
“The EU Strategy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings strongly prioritizes international collaboration, especially through enhanced financial intelligence sharing and judicial cooperation. Europoean Union is proud to partner with Bangladesh in tackling the complex and deeply damaging crimes of human trafficking and smuggling of migrants.,” said Jurate Smalskyte Merville, Counsellor and Team Leader for Human Capital Development at the Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh.
Transnational human trafficking cases face challenges including jurisdictional complexities, differences in legal frameworks, and practical difficulties in tracing illicit financial flows across borders.
“Crimes such as human trafficking and migrant smuggling do not stop at borders. Gathering evidence across jurisdictions and following financial trails requires robust MLA systems. This workshop is an important step in strengthening Bangladesh’s technical and operational capacity to uphold justice and protect the vulnerable,” highlighted Dr. Suruchi Pant, Deputy Representative for South Asia for UNODC.
Traffickers exploit both vulnerable individuals and gaps in cross-border intelligence sharing, operating through formal banking systems, cryptocurrency, money transfer systems, and cash couriers. Despite increased awareness and government commitment, conviction rates for human trafficking offenders remain disproportionately low compared to the crime’s scale, underlining the need for a comprehensive approach.
“Building a pool of national MLA experts is critical for disrupting illicit financial flows and upholding the rule of law. This capacity will be key to protecting victims and prosecuting offenders,” noted M. Jashim Uddin Khan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs.
The three-day workshop aims to establish a national pool of MLA experts to strengthen international cooperation, specifically targeting financial investigations and prosecutions related to Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and Smuggling of Migrants (SOM). This high-level training brings together 25 senior officials ( 4 female, 21 Male) from across criminal justice, law enforcement, foreign affairs, and financial intelligence sectors, marking a significant advancement in developing robust institutional mechanisms for mutual legal assistance and asset recovery.
International cooperation through MLA is guided by fundamental principles that ensure both effective prosecution of perpetrators and protection of victims’ rights. Bangladesh’s active engagement in bilateral and multilateral forums focused on strengthening international cooperation frameworks demonstrates its commitment to combating these serious crimes.
The EU-funded project covers five South Asian countries – Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka – and addresses cross-border cooperation challenges across the region, including India. It aims to enhance the legal and operational framework for MLA, financial investigations, and victim protection.
The workshop reflects the European Union’s continued commitment to supporting Bangladesh in building effective, rights-based responses to transnational organized crime, with a focus on international judicial cooperation, financial transparency, and victim-centered justice.
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The project is funded by the European Union.
For more information about “Preventing and Addressing Trafficking in Human Beings and the Smuggling of Migrants in South Asia”, please contact:
Martin Reeve (Mr.), Project Coordinator
martin.reeve@un.org