Call to involve imams in curbing trafficking

They said there are over 2.5 lakh mosques in the country and if each imam delivers speech before Juma prayers in every mosque against trafficking, the number of such incidents would reduce significantly.

The daylong seminar was organised by Uddipan, a non-governmental organisation, in collaboration with the USAID and Academy for Educational Development (AED) at Palli Karmoshahayak Foundation auditorium in the city.

Speaking as chief guest at the inaugural session, A K M Shamsuddin, secretary to women and children affairs ministry, said the government alone cannot tackle trafficking problem.

"Non-governmental organisations and religious leaders have a vital role to play in this regard," he added.

"As religious leaders, imams have a great responsibility for protecting women and children from being trafficked," said C Q K Mustaq Ahmed, director general of NGO affairs bureau.

"A true Muslim should not tolerate that Muslim girls would be abused in foreign lands," he added.

Gene V George, mission director of USAID, said religious leaders should be involved in combating trafficking as they enjoy respect from general people.

The inaugural session was also addressed by Regional Representative of International Organisation for Migrants Shahidul Haque, AED Chief Susan D Word and Uddipan Chairperson Shahid Hossain Talukder

Later, a number of papers were presented at the working sessions of the seminar.

Uddipan took an awareness programme for imams in 20 bordering districts and published a booklet for them.

Around 50 imams from those districts attended the seminar.