A workshop titled “Formulation of District Reference Directory” was held in Cox’s Bazar to ensure integrated services for victims of human trafficking and child marriage. Representatives from various government and non-government departments participated in the workshop.
Tasneem Jahan, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development and Human Resource Management) of the Cox’s Bazar District Administration, attended the event as the Chief Guest. Special guests included:
-
Md. Kamrul Islam, Assistant Commissioner and Executive Magistrate, Cox’s Bazar.
-
Subrata Baruah, Deputy Director, Department of Women Affairs.
-
Md. Moazzem Hossain, Deputy Director, Department of Youth Development.
-
Hasan Masud, Deputy Director, Department of Social Services.
-
Jesmin Akter, Deputy Director of the follow-up project for providing employment assistance to family members of survivors.
-
Jahanara Islam, President, Cox’s Bazar Women Chamber of Commerce.
-
Md. Nazrul Islam Mazumder, Divisional Manager, BRAC Regulatory Affairs Unit.
The event was presided over by Md. Shahidul Islam, Deputy Director and Regional Head of YPSA, and moderated by Mohammad Harun, Focal Person of YPSA.
Chief Guest Tasneem Jahan stated, “Human trafficking and child marriage are social diseases. A coordinated effort is required to overcome them. Once the District Reference Directory is formulated, victims will be able to access swift and proper services.” She urged all relevant departments to work through effective coordination.
At the beginning of the workshop, Jishu Baruah, Assistant Director of YPSA, delivered a PowerPoint presentation introducing the organization’s activities, goals, and long-standing humanitarian initiatives.
Subsequently, Hosne Ara Rekha, Project Manager, presented the activities, achievements, and future plans under the USDOS Fight Slavery and Trafficking-In-Persons (FSTIP) program. She noted that the project identifies women, children, and adolescents at risk of trafficking and child marriage, providing them with:
-
Legal aid and mental health support.
-
Rehabilitation and skill development training.
-
Strengthened coordination between government and private service providers through the District Reference Directory.
Special Guests emphasized that increasing awareness, data-driven actions, and consolidating communication systems between service-providing institutions are essential. A coordinated directory at the district level will allow service seekers to access necessary assistance easily.
In his concluding remarks, Md. Shahidul Islam said, “YPSA has been working for the welfare of vulnerable communities in coastal areas for a long time. The main goal of this workshop is to build an effective service-linkage system through public-private partnerships to prevent human trafficking and child marriage.”
Participants shared their insights on collecting and verifying information from existing district-level service institutions to create a comprehensive database. The organizers expressed hope that this directory would ensure rapid and effective services for victims.
Other attendees included YPSA Program Officer (Livelihood) Abidur Rahman, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Officer Fawzia Hasnat Choity, and Counselor and Case Management Officer Shaila Mostofa. Notably, the YPSA FSTIP program has been working on the reintegration of human trafficking survivors since 2009.
