In Kolkata, a two-day workshop on "Indo-Bangladesh Border Strengthening Workshop on countering Human Trafficking and Smuggling of migrants" concluded today. <br/><br/>The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime,UNODC, and Border Security Force, BSF, jointly organised the event. All stake holders including BSF and Border Guarding Bangladesh, BGB, Govt. Officials from Bangladesh and India, Officials from Australian Border Force under Australian High commission and NGOs attended the workshop.<br/><br/>Vedantam Giri, Joint Secretary (SR) in the Union Home Affairs Ministry and Sandeep Salunke, IG, BSF, South Bengal outlined the role played by BSF on these important issues in his opening address and drew attention of the delegates on the Pilot Project initiated in coordination with local NGOs and Police to deal with victims of Human Trafficking at Gojadanga, a BSF Border Out Post. <br/><br/>During the workshop, presentations and discussions on International legal framework on smuggling of migrants and Human Trafficking, Sharing of existing mechanisms to counter Smuggling of Migrants and Human Trafficking and Role of border control Officials in identification of Smuggling of Migrants and Human Trafficking were held. <br/><br/>Today, a panel discussion on implementation of MOU between Govt. of India and Govt. of Bangladesh for bilateral co-operation on countering Smuggling of Migrants and Human Trafficking was held followed by open discussion, Challenges and way forward/recommendations for cross-border co-operation between Bangladesh and India.