KOLKATA, India by IANS via New York Daily News (7/11/12) — Human trafficking for purposes other than sex trade has been on the rise in the county. With the increase in the level of economic activities, the demand for cheap labour for industry and agriculture sector has resulted in the increase of the menace, experts say.
“People have a wrong notion that human trafficking is basically for sex trade. There are factors as well like cheap labour for industrial and agricultural sectors, domestic helps, beggars etc.,” said Urmi Basu, founder trustee of New Light.
The phenomenon is not peculiar only to India but also neighbouring countries like Nepal and Bangladesh.
“Though in Nepal, trafficking is mostly done for the sex trade, the demand for cheap labour has now started to contribute,” Basu said.
Children are being trafficked and are being used as labourers in the various industries as well as for begging, said Kiran Rupakheti, deputy secretary in the ministry of woman and child welfare, Nepal.
