South Asian Nations Target Cyber-Enabled Human Trafficking Networks

Officials from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan launched a series of national initiatives on July 30, 2026, to combat the rise of cyber-enabled human trafficking. To mark the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, these nations focused on the theme "Trapped Behind the Scam," targeting criminal networks that use fake online recruitment and financial fraud to lure victims into forced labor and organized crime.

In Dhaka, Salahuddin Ahmed, the Home Minister of Bangladesh, announced a zero-tolerance policy and highlighted the enactment of the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling (Prevention and Suppression) Act, 2026. The Bangladeshi government also developed a digital platform to track trafficking cases.

In Islamabad, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif characterized trafficking as a grave human rights violation linked to money laundering. He announced the National Action Plan to Counter Trafficking in Persons (2026–2030) and the strengthening of ties between the Federal Investigation Agency, INTERPOL, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Sri Lanka's Defence Secretary Sampath Thuyacontha called for a united national response to dismantle fraud schemes, noting that many individuals appearing as online criminals are actually coerced victims of trafficking networks.