Economy
Fortify Rights Urges Malaysia to Investigate and Hold Officials Accountable for Involvement in Rohingya Trafficking Syndicate
Human rights organization Fortify Rights has urged Malaysian authorities to launch a fresh investigation into the mass graves of Rohingyas discovered in Wang Kelian. The organization is also calling for the prosecution of officials found to be negligent in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting a human trafficking syndicate. Last week, four Thai nationals were charged by a court in Malaysia’s Perlis state for offenses under Malaysia’s Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act. These charges are related to the trafficking of Rohingyas from Myanmar to Malaysia in 2015.
Fortify Rights and Malaysia’s national human rights commission, SUHAKAM, found in 2019 that there was a surge in Rohingya trafficking between 2012 and 2015, which constituted crimes against humanity. The subsequent Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) in Malaysia, in 2020, concluded that Malaysian officials could have prevented the trafficking and the discovery of the mass graves in Wang Kelian.
While welcoming the recent indictments, Fortify Rights stressed the importance of prosecuting Malaysian officials involved in these crimes. According to Patrick Phongsathorn, Senior Advocacy Specialist at Fortify Rights, no Malaysian official has faced formal charges in relation to the mass trafficking of Rohingya refugees, despite evidence of at least criminal negligence.
The Home Affairs Ministry of Malaysia acknowledged that the four extradited men were among ten individuals named in an extradition request made by Malaysian authorities to their Thai counterparts in January 2017. The four men are accused of being part of a transnational criminal syndicate responsible for trafficking around 170,000 people from Myanmar and Bangladesh to Malaysia via southern Thailand between 2012 and 2015.
Based on a comprehensive investigation and over 270 survivor accounts and eyewitness testimonies, a 121-page report by Fortify Rights and SUHAKAM in 2019 detailed grave human rights violations against Rohingya victims trafficked to Malaysia. The report documented widespread and systematic abuses, including imprisonment, torture, extortion, deprivation of life, rape, and killings on land and at sea. It also revealed that Malaysian authorities impeded justice by destroying evidence and delaying the exhumation of victims’ bodies.
The RCI’s final report, quietly released by Malaysia’s Home Affairs Ministry in July 2022, concluded that Malaysian officials could have prevented the torture and death of Rohingyas and other trafficking victims. The report highlighted instances of official negligence hindering the detection and proper investigation of the human trafficking syndicate. Former Inspector-General of Police Khalid bin Abu Bakar was cited for deliberately delaying the exhumation of human remains in Wang Kelian for over five months, significantly impeding accountability efforts.
Fortify Rights has also gathered survivor testimonies implicating government officials in the trafficking syndicate. In 2017, Thailand convicted 62 individuals, including a senior army general and eight Thai government officials, for their involvement in trafficking Rohingyas. However, since 2015, Malaysian courts have only convicted four non-Malaysian individuals in connection with the mass graves in Wang Kelian.
Fortify Rights has called on Malaysia’s newly established Independent Police Conduct Commission (IPCC) to investigate cases of official criminal negligence in Wang Kelian. The IPCC, whose responsibilities include promoting integrity within the police force and addressing misconduct, will begin operating on July 1. Concerns have been raised by Malaysian civil society regarding the impartiality and accountability of the IPCC in investigating police wrongdoing.
In 2007, Malaysia enacted the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants Act, which criminalizes human trafficking and outlines the investigative duties of enforcement officers. The Malaysian Penal Code also stipulates criminal penalties for official negligence under sections 201, 217, and 218.
Expatriate Bangladeshis sent approximately US$ 2.11 billion in remittances during the first 28 days of September in the fiscal year 2024-25, according to data released by Bangladesh Bank on 29 September.
Of this total, state-owned and specialised banks handled $679.10 million, while private banks received $1.43 billion in remittances.
Chief Adviser to Bangladesh’s interim government, Professor Muhammad Yunus, has vowed to expedite reforms and hold elections swiftly. Yunus, who recently assumed the role after the collapse of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year administration, expressed his commitment during an interview with Tokyo-based news outlet NHK WORLD in New York on Sunday. He was attending the United Nations General Assembly at the time.
Following mass student-led protests that ended Hasina’s long-standing rule in August, Yunus stepped in as the leader of the caretaker government. Known for founding Grameen Bank, an institution providing microloans to the underprivileged, Yunus, along with the bank, earned the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his efforts in poverty alleviation.
During the interview, Yunus emphasized that the interim government’s primary mission is to implement reforms promptly and ensure elections are held as soon as the groundwork is complete. He underscored the importance of success, stating, “Failure is not something that we can accept.”
Addressing the pivotal role of students in the ousting of the Hasina administration, Yunus acknowledged the sacrifices made by young people, referring to their involvement as part of a “revolution.” He highlighted his intention to engage the younger generation in shaping policy.
Furthermore, Yunus called for continued support from Japan, Bangladesh’s largest donor, during this crucial transition period. He stressed that Japan’s assistance is vital to stabilizing Bangladesh’s economy and fostering a democratic foundation in the nation.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, the Adviser for Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, announced today that steps will be taken to restrict the use of polythene shopping bags to safeguard future generations.
Starting from October 1, polythene bags will be banned in shopping malls, followed by a ban in kitchen markets from November 1.
“Everyone must take responsibility and stop using polythene voluntarily. Action against polythene producers will begin from November 1,” Rizwana Hasan stated during a seminar.
The Department of Environment (DoE) organized the seminar to raise public awareness about alternatives to banned polythene bags.
Rizwana Hasan highlighted that the restriction on polythene will be executed in phases according to legal provisions, and discussions with shopping centers and store owners are ongoing to ensure a smooth transition.
She also announced plans to make the government secretariat a plastic-free zone by December.
Other speakers at the seminar included Environment Secretary Dr. Farhina Ahmed, DoE Director General Dr. Abdul Hamid, Director Rajinara Begum, President of the Shop Owners Association Muhammad Helal Uddin, and Md. Arifur Rahman Bhuiyan, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science at BUP. They discussed the harmful effects of polythene and the need for alternative products.
Earlier, Rizwana Hasan inaugurated a fair showcasing eco-friendly alternatives to polythene bags and visited 24 stalls. The fair featured products from government and private entrepreneurs, including reusable bags, jute bags, paper bags, and items made from bamboo and cane.
