Kolkata: Bangladeshi victims rescued from Human trafficking 4yrs ago are still waiting to go back to their homes, but the process to send them back is taking years of time.
These girls waiting in shelter homes, dreaming to return back to their country, waiting to meet their families, are now also facing problems recognizing their homes.
Principal Secretary of the state’s Women and Child Welfare Development, Roshni Sen told PTI, “At present, about 220 rescued trafficked victims are lodged at various homes and are waiting to return to Bangladesh. However, some factors, legal and otherwise, have come in the way of their return.”
Asma and Shyla (name changed), two victims among others saved three ago, currently living a shelter home, have now become best friends, wishing to go back home soon.
Roshini says, “In most cases the addresses or the parents of the victims could not be traced, though we completed the standard operating procedure. Secondly, there were instances in which the victims were unable to identify their homes.”
She also told that the other factor delaying the return of few girls, is due to the pending cases in courts, and these victims being the main eyewitness against these criminal in trafficking. She continues saying, “In some cases after sending them back home we have arranged for special video conferences to submit witness accounts.”
‘Sanlaap’ an NGO also a shelter home for the rescued victims, says in most cases they come across, these victims do not even remember the names of their villages since they were kidnapped and sold when they were 10 – 12 years old.
Tapoti Bhowmik of Sanlaap said, “It often takes three to four years for a victim to be sent back home. A large number of victims get stuck in India due to delay in legal and bureaucratic procedures”.
An official of the International Justice Mission, a human rights organization dealing with trafficking and slavery, says the organization is working towards speeding up the process of the victims return.
Another official of the International Justice Mission says, “The trauma faced by the victims is another hurdle. It often takes sustained confidence building measures running into several months before the victims open up and tell the truth about their nationality”, as reported in Dailyhunt.