US reaffirms commitment to fighting human trafficking.

Today is an important day. Today, we reaffirm our ongoing commitment to fighting human trafficking. I am grateful to be here at such a critical time for Bangladesh, for this region, and for this call to action. I cannot emphasize enough that our commitment and urgency for taking appropriate actions at this very moment is extremely important.

We all are outraged by the crimes being committed upon thousands of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis who have been stranded in overcrowded boats. The anguish and helplessness of these people and their families has touched every one of us. Their stories put a human face on this crime and give us a clear message -- we need to be more coordinated, stringent, and strategic with our actions to combat human trafficking. This issue is important.

This issue affects more people than you can imagine. This issue is personal -- my grandmother was a victim of human trafficking. Born a mixed race child in the 19th century to a woman in the Shinnecock Native American Tribe on the eastern end of Long Island in New York. My grandmother was given as an infant to a white family, where she worked for years as an indentured servant, a washer-woman and housemaid, before she was eventually freed. Today, sadly, trafficking and slavery continue, but in more varied forms than ever: migrant labor trafficking, sex trafficking, beggar trafficking, child soldiers and other forms of coerced labor. Preventing human trafficking is an especially complex challenge.

Like other forms of transnational crime, it cannot be stopped by one country, one organization, or one governmental ministry alone. Source countries, transit countries, and destination countries must work together. Fighting trafficking cannot be seen as solely the province of the government; all sectors in society must be part of the effort.

It is encouraging that both governmental and civil society groups in Bangladesh have realized the significance of this cooperation and have come forward in a concerted effort to prevent, protect and prosecute those who engage in human trafficking. Let us rededicate ourselves today to continuing the progress we have made thus far.

The National Plan of Action to Combat Human...