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South Asia
Government officials in Bangladesh commit to combating child sex trafficking
Bangladesh, September 17, 2025 — Over 200 global experts, government officials, and survivor leaders came together with IJM to commit to combating the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) in Bangladesh.
Our five-year collaborative program will be called Project Shurakkha (meaning “protection”) and aims to protect 6.5 million children by reducing CSEC by at least 50%.
Senior Vice President of IJM Bangladesh, Claire Wilkinson, shared, “Children are abused multiple times every day so that others may gain wealth.
“That is the type of crime that eats away at the very soul of a nation. But today as we launch our program, I have great hope – because this is not the end of the story.”
The launch event featured keynote speakers highlighting the urgency of combating CSEC and outlining IJM’s theory of change, as well as expert panels diving deep on the challenges faced by the Bangladesh justice system. IJM ensured survivor leaders could share their expertise and perspectives on the way forward.
IJM leaders feel confident that our protection model can be successful in Bangladesh, based on our track record in similar global contexts.
Samson Inocencio, who led IJM’s work to reduce CSEC by up to 85% in the Philippines, shared, “It is no longer profitable to sell children for sex because traffickers know they will be convicted. As a result, there are tens of thousands of Filipino children who will never endure the pain and trauma of exploitation.”
A longtime partner of IJM Philippines, prosecutor Maria Teresa C. Casino, implored Bangladeshi officials to buy into IJM’s vision, saying, “We urge the government of Bangladesh to stand with us in building a future where every child is protected, and every trafficker is held accountable.”
Encouraged by this evidence of success, Bangladeshi stakeholders voiced their support for protecting vulnerable children and improving the performance of the justice system.
Al-Amin Noyon, president of the Anirban network for trafficking survivors in Bangladesh and a 2024 US State Department Trafficking In Persons Hero, said, “I share my deep gratitude and joy in welcoming IJM to Bangladesh. The fight for protecting children and safeguarding the future of Bangladesh requires an organization like IJM.”
Stakeholders agreed to coordinate closely on a unified response. Khondakar Md. Mahabubur Rahman from the Ministry of Home Affairs warmly invited IJM to keep a permanent office in Bangladesh beyond the five-year scope of Project Shurakkha.
IJM looks forward to close collaboration with government agencies, NGO experts, community organizations, and survivor leaders to bring children to safety, promote effective and trauma-informed legal interventions, and protect vulnerable children.
“In my experience, there are two kinds of people in the world,” Claire Wilkinson concluded, “the ones who look away from hard things like CSEC—and those who keep looking and keep fighting to find solutions. Thank you for not looking away—for choosing to fight.”
