JUSTICE IS BUILDING IN BANGLADESH: UNTIL ALL ARE FREE

Why IJM is Expanding into Bangladesh

Bangladesh is ground zero in the global fight to end child sex trafficking. Every day, an estimated 40,000 to 100,000 children are sold for sex - on the street, in brothels, and even in private homes. This exploitation is happening in broad daylight, and it's not okay. 

This morning, a child in Bangladesh woke up in a brothel. The person who traffics her may earn tens of thousands of dollars this year from her suffering. This violence isn't new - and everyone around her knows it. In fact, the brothel where she lives has been selling women and children for sex every single day for nearly 200 years. 

1. Children are being trafficked in broad daylight.

Bangladesh is a major source, destination, and transit point for commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC). In 2021, IJM launched a "Year Zero" program with support from the UBS Optimus Foundation to assess the prevalence of CSEC across the country. 

Our teams conducted interviews with NGOs, government officials, and local stakeholders. The findings were devastating: children were being sold for sex in every brothel we visited, as well as in hotels, spas, massage parlours, and private residences. 

The Bangladeshi government estimates that 600,000 women and girls aged 10-30 are at risk of sexual exploitation. Based on our research, we believe up to 100,000 children are currently being trafficked. The scale is staggering - and the violence is extreme.

2.We've seen this kind of violence before - and we know how to stop it. 

IJM is not new to this darkness. We've tackled similar crises in nine other regions, helping reduce violence by up to 85%. By partnering with local governments, we've shut down trafficking networks, protected children, and transformed broken justice systems. 

Now, Bangladesh has approved a five-year national plan to combat child trafficking - and IJM is bringing our proven model to help make it a reality. We're building a robust team, forging strategic partnerships, and preparing to launch urgent interventions. 

When we succeed, children will sleep safely, stand before judges who listen, and receive the support they need to heal and return to school. Their abusers will be held accountable - and their friends will be protected too. That's worth fighting for

3. You can help end it. Justice is Building.

Tonight, a child in Bangladesh will go to sleep after a day of unspeakable abuse. Tomorrow, with your help, our team will work to bring her into a life of freedom. 

We can't do this alone. You can be part of the solution. 

Take action today and learn how you can end the trafficking of children in Bangladesh.