18 Jun 2019

Bangladeshis trafficked to Vanuatu to start returning home

3:05 pm on 18 June 2019

More than 100 Bangladeshis who were trafficked to Vanuatu will start returning home this month.

Bangladeshi human trafficking victims in Vanuatu

Bangladeshi human trafficking victims in Vanuatu Photo: Supplied

The migrants have been under government care in Vanuatu since November, after they were allegedly trafficked there over the past two years with the promise of work.

Many have refused to return to Bangladesh, and they've since been living off rations in Port Vila.

But Bangladesh's high commissioner to Australia, Sufiur Rahman, said the majority of them were now willing to return.

He said he's expecting about 70 to return to Bangladesh in different phases, starting in about a week.

But the International Organisation for Migration, which is arranging flights, said there were no confirmed departures yet.

Four people have been arrested on trafficking charges in connection with the case and are being tried in Vanuatu's Supreme Court.

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