Agreed minutes of the Fourth Meeting of the Task Force on Human

Trafficking between India and Bangladesh held in Mumbai, India

6th - 7th April, 2014

The fourth meeting of the Task Force on Human Trafficking between

India and Bangladesh was held in Mumbai, India, from 6-7th April, 2014.
The Indian delegation was led by Mr. S. Suresh Kumar, Joint Secretary,
Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. The Bangladesh
delegation was led by Dr. Kamal Uddin Ahmed, Additional Secretary,
Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of the Peoples Republic of
Bangladesh. The list of the delegates is annexed.
2.
Both sides reviewed the progress on decisions taken in the Third
meeting of the Task Force held in Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh from 8-9th
December, 2012 and expressed their satisfaction at the pace of bilateral
cooperation in addressing the issue of human trafficking.
3.
The two sides held comprehensive discussions and finalized the text
of the draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Prevention of
Human Trafficking especially Trafficking in Women and Children: Rescue,
Recovery, Repatriation and Reintegration of Victims of Human Trafficking.
The agreed text of the proposed MOU was initialed by the both Heads of
Delegations. It was further agreed that the MOU be signed during the next
Home Secretary level talks proposed to be held in Dhaka soon. The agreed
text is annexed.
4.
Both sides held wide ranging discussions on other agenda points and
the following was agreed:
a) to take effective preventive measures in the respective countries
including strengthening border controls, raising awareness and
taking effective legal actions against traffickers, touts and agents
involved in human trafficking;
b) to strengthen bilateral cooperation with regard to mutual legal
assistance, prosecution of persons involved in human trafficking and
rescue, recovery, repatriation of victims of human trafficking;
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c) to conduct coordinated patrolling and strengthen other border

management measures as agreed in the Coordinated Border
Management Plan signed in 2011 in the presence of Honble Home
Ministers of both the countries.
d) to expedite the process of nationality verification and confirmation
and hold a Joint Workshop in New Delhi in the second half of 2014. It
was also agreed that cases pending for verification of nationality
from either countries for more than 1 year would be taken up on
priority basis. Such cases, if not resolved, shall be escalated to higher
authorities.
e) to develop and share database on victims in the shelter homes and
visit to shelter houses will be taken into consideration to facilitate and
expedite the process;
f) to set up more transit shelter homes along the India-Bangladesh
border by both the Governments;
g) to maintain and share the database on traffickers on regular basis;
h) to regularly exchange information through the designated focal
points in Ministry of Home Affairs in India (jscs@nic.in) and
Bangladesh (knz2005@gmail.com) and copies of the communication
would also be marked to other concerned agencies;
i) to organize joint training and capacity building programmes in the
prevention of human trafficking and combating organized crime for
concerned agencies of both countries;
j) to designate NGOs in India and Bangladesh for expediting process of
rescue, repatriation and rehabilitation of the victims of human
trafficking.
5.
The Indian side handed over to Bangladesh a list of victims of
trafficking awaiting repatriation to Bangladesh, presently staying in
different shelter homes of Maharashtra, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
6.
The Bangladesh side informed the Task Force on the development
took place at its end. In response to the request of Government of India for
verification and repatriation regarding the list provided earlier, letters sent
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to different concerned authorities at Mumbai, Pune, Banglore, Ahmedabad

and Chennai to issue travel permits for victims of trafficking, conveying
readiness of the Government of Bangladesh.
7.

Both delegations visited Navjeevan Mahila Vastigruha, Mumbai.

8.
The leader of the Bangladesh delegation thanked the leader of the
Indian delegation for the warm hospitality extended to its delegation
during their stay in Mumbai and invited the Indian delegation to visit
Bangladesh for the fifth Task Force Meeting. The dates would be finalized
through diplomatic channels mutually.

S. Suresh Kumar,
Joint Secretary,
Ministry of Home Affairs,
Government of India.

Dr. Kamal Uddin Ahmed,

Additional Secretary,
Ministry of Home Affairs,
Government of the Peoples Republic
of Bangladesh.

List of Delegates
Bangladesh
1. Dr. Kamal Uddin Ahmed, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs
2. Mr. Shawkat Mostafa, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs
3. Mr. Nurul Kabir Siddiqui, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Social Welfare
4. Ms Samina Naz, Deputy High Commissioner, Bangladesh High Commission
in Mumbai
5. Mr. AFM Zahid-ul-Islam, Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
6. Ms Rukhsana Hasin, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs
7. Mr. Md. Barkat Ullah Khan, Special Superintendent of Police, Special Branch
8. Major Md. Taslim Uddin, PSC, Addl. Director(Operation), BGB HQrs
9. Md. Rashedujjaman, First Secretary, Bangladesh Deputy High Commission,
Mumbai
India
1.Shri S Suresh Kumar, Joint Secretary(CS), Ministry of Home Affairs
2.Dr. Praveen Kumari Singh, Director(SR), Ministry of Home Affairs
3.Mr. Manoj Mohapatra, High Commission of India, Dhaka,
4.Mr. S.K. Mishra, IG(G), Border Security Force
5. Mr. Sanjay Kumar Verma, IG(CID), Maharashtra
6.Smt Binita Thakur, DIG, Central Bureau of Investigation
7. Ms Sarmistha Das, Joint Secretary, Govt of West Bengal
8. Mr. G. Devnani, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Women & Child
Development
9. Mr. Deba Prasad Tripathi, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs
10. Mr. Ajay Kanoujia, Deputy Secretary(NE), Ministry of Home Affairs
11.Mr. R. Srinivasa, DSP, Chennai
12.Mr. Sudhakar Chavan, Joint Secretary, Deptt of Home, Maharashtra
13.Mr. Satish Kumar Singh, Section Officer, Ministry of Home Affairs