By Adeola Ogunnoiki, PACS, University of Manitoba
Date: Dec 1, 2025
In the labyrinthine lanes of Cox’s Bazar, where despair often shadows survival, another invisible battle unfolds; one against human traffickers. For Rohingya women and children, the threat is constant, and combating it requires far more than compassion; it demands coordination, accountability, and sustained action. Although the scale of the crisis continues to outstrip local capacity, the combined efforts of law enforcement, NGOs, and civil society form the backbone of resistance against trafficking networks.
Law Enforcement: Fighting with Limited Tools
Bangladesh’s law enforcement agencies; including the police, Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB), and Anti-Human Trafficking Units play a crucial role in identifying and disrupting trafficking operations. Yet their work is often constrained by limited resources, understaffing, corruption, and the complexity of cross-border criminal networks. Many officers appears to lack specialized training in identifying victims who are too afraid, silenced, or undocumented to speak openly.
In recent years, however, collaboration with international bodies like the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has begun to shift the landscape. Training programs now emphasize victim-centred approaches, improved data sharing, and more coordinated cross-border intelligence. While progress remains slow, these partnerships mark vital steps toward stronger protection and more effective prosecution essential in a context where an estimated 400,000 Rohingya are considered vulnerable to trafficking risks.
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs): Bridging the Gaps
Where law enforcement’s reach ends, NGOs step in to bridge the gaps. Organizations such as UNHCR, IOM, BRAC, and Save the Children work directly within Rohingya camps to raise awareness, identify victims, and provide urgent support. Through community-wide education campaigns, they help women, men, and youth recognize common trafficking tactics from deceptive job offers to fraudulent marriages.
These organizations also operate safe shelters and counselling centers, offering survivors medical care, psychosocial support, and legal assistance. Their close collaboration with local authorities ensures victims are treated not as criminals, but as survivors of violence and coercion.
Perhaps most importantly, NGOs give voice to the Rohingya community. They collect data, document abuses, and advocate for stronger anti-trafficking and refugee protection policies at national and international levels. As one Rohingya volunteer at a women’s shelter shared, “Every time we rescue one girl, we save an entire future.”
Civil Society and Community Organizations: Building Awareness from Within
Grassroots organizations and local community groups serve as the frontline defence against trafficking. In communities where trust in formal institutions is low, local leaders, women’s groups, and youth volunteers are often the first to notice when someone goes missing or is being targeted by traffickers.
Civil society groups work to empower Rohingya women and girls through education, skills training, and leadership programs which helps in building confidence, independence, and economic alternatives. They also confront cultural barriers such as stigma and silence that prevent survivors from seeking help. By fostering vigilance from within the community, they help close the gaps that traffickers exploit.
Conclusion
The fight against sex trafficking among Rohingya women and children cannot be won by any single actor. Its success depends on collaboration; a shared duty of protection where law enforcement upholds justice, NGOs deliver care and advocacy, and civil society strengthens awareness from within the community. Together, they create a fragile yet vital safety net for those most at risk.
In Cox’s Bazar, partnerships between these sectors are slowly reshaping the landscape. Regular coordination meetings, joint awareness campaigns, and survivor referral systems are helping ensure no one falls through the cracks. Yet the challenges remain daunting. Traffickers adapt, borders remain porous, and resources are strained. Sustained funding, stronger political will, and deeper regional cooperation are urgently needed to turn small victories into lasting change.
The struggle is far from over but each rescue, each awareness session, and each survivor who finds the courage to speak out brings the community one step closer to safety. The next chapter depends not only on institutions, but on how the world chooses to act. Protecting the Rohingya is not just a legal responsibility; it is a moral imperative, and a test of our collective humanity.
To be continued…