Highlighting the importance of public awareness in dealing with human trafficking, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said on Sunday that Bangladesh remains steadfast in its commitment to combating human trafficking and continues to take concrete steps towards that goal.He made the remarks while addressing the third meeting of the BIMSTEC Sub-Group on Combating Human Trafficking, held at Surma Hall of the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka.The adviser said Bangladesh has established a strong legal framework to hold traffickers accountable and is actively working to enhance border security.“We are taking active measures such as adopting a national action plan, establishing a national referral mechanism hosted on a web platform to identify trafficking victims, assess their needs and connect them with appropriate services,” he said.Jahangir said a dedicated tribunal has been established to expedite trials of traffickers, and public awareness campaigns have been systematically integrated into the country’s anti-trafficking strategy.Bangladesh has also expanded mutual legal assistance with BIMSTEC and other countries to enhance regional cooperation, he added.The adviser said BIMSTEC member states have taken significant steps to fight human trafficking and expressed hope that the meeting would serve as a platform to share those initiatives and experiences.He warned that traffickers constantly adopt new tactics to evade government efforts, exploiting economic hardship and misusing technology to operate clandestinely.“A collective and strategic approach is necessary to tackle this crime,” he said, stressing BIMSTEC’s key role in facilitating intelligence sharing and best practices among member states.Jahanigr also expressed sincere gratitude to the member countries for entrusting Bangladesh with the BIMSTEC chairmanship for the next two years.He said Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus is committed to leading BIMSTEC with an inclusive, action-oriented, and visionary approach. “Under his capable and inspiring leadership, we are confident that BIMSTEC will reach new heights in fostering cooperation and deepening relationships among member states.”Jahangir said the meeting provided a valuable opportunity to discuss strategies, share experiences, and reaffirm BIMSTEC’s collective commitment to preventing human trafficking across the region.“The outcomes of this meeting will serve as a catalyst for stronger policy development, effective implementation, and deeper regional cooperation,” he added.Delivering the welcome address at the event, Khandker Md Mahbubur Rahman, additional secretary to Political and ICT Wing of the Public Security Division at the Ministry of Home Affairs and Chair of the BIMSTEC Sub-Group meeting, emphasised the importance of collective efforts in tackling the issue.Prasanth Chandran, Director of the BIMSTEC Secretariat in Dhaka, delivered a goodwill speech.Representatives from the seven BIMSTEC member states— Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan, participated in the meeting.