Trafficked girls from Bangladesh reunited with their families in record time

 

The repatriation process which can usually take up to two years, just took eight months this time round.

KOLKATA: On 12th January, 2012, seven Bangladeshi girls who had been trafficked across the border and sold into prostitution in India were reunited with their families. The girls, who are between the ages of 13 and 15, were rescued by police and Justice and Care in an operation on an escort agency in Bangalore in May of last year. The escort agency kept women and young girls captive in a boarded-up house and hired them out for sex. A total of 32 girls and women were rescued in the operation.

The girls were then safely housed in an aftercare facility in Kolkata where they were trained in tailoring, embroidery and learned how to read and write. Thirteen-year-old Reema even went back to school where she did well in Maths.

Even so, the question of when they would see their families again was always on their mind whenever our team met with them. “They were happy learning and amazed everyone by how quickly they picked up new skills,” says a member of our aftercare team, “but they longed to see their parents again. It was the one constant in their conversations with me.”

The repatriation process, which can usually take up to two years, took just eight months this time round, an encouraging sign that both India and Bangladesh are working harder to help victims of trafficking get home.

The Bangladesh National Woman Lawyers Association (BNWLA) helped the girls get back home once they arrived in Bangladesh. The organisation will be following up on the progress of the girls, who are excited to use their new skills to get jobs near their homes.

Members of Justice and Care’s aftercare team will be travelling to Bangladesh next month to meet the girls and ensure that they are doing well.