Experts Flag Data Gaps in Anti-Trafficking Efforts, Call for Integrated Systems to Combat Bonded Labour
Kolkata, March 30, 2026
In a significant step towards addressing the persistent and largely invisible challenge of labour trafficking and bonded labour, a high‑level Consultation on Data Management was held on Monday, 30 March 2026, at the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS), Kolkata. The consultation was organised in collaboration with WBNUJS and the Indian Society of Criminology.
The consultation brought together senior representatives from government departments, law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, academia, research institutions, civil society organisations, and the media to deliberate on the urgent need for centralised, credible, and integrated data systems to strengthen prevention, rescue, rehabilitation, compensation tracking, and prosecution related to labour trafficking and bonded labour.
An Invisible Crime and Fragmented Systems
“When working with several state and central government departments—the labour department, women and child welfare departments, the police, and the judiciary—there are inevitable silos, and coordination is always a problem,”
said Mr Basudeb Banerjee, Member, West Bengal Human Rights Commission (WBHRC) and Former Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal.
He further stressed the challenge of under‑reporting:
“At the grassroots level, there is significant underreporting of crime. Underreporting is particularly common in cases where there is a sense of shame involved. Therefore, it is important to factor in this issue of underreporting and to develop systems that encourage the reporting of crimes.”
Low Visibility, High Vulnerability
Speakers noted that while only a limited number of bonded labour cases have been officially recorded in recent years, data on missing persons, unsafe migration, and vulnerable districts points to a far larger and under‑reported crisis. Data maintained by the police and reported to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) captures only cases that are formally identified, leaving significant gaps in detection.
“The information regarding human trafficking, as defined under Section 143 of the BNSA, covers everything—including forced labour, sexual exploitation, and other forms of exploitation. When information is given, it should mention the gender of the victim, the place, and the residence. In the future, data can also be drawn from the registration of FIRs,”
observed Justice (Retd) Smt Madhumati Mitra, Member, WBHRC.
Early Efforts, Limited Outcomes
Participants recalled that as early as 2018, the State had initiated steps to create a comprehensive bonded labour database, led by the Labour Department with district‑level vigilance committees under District Magistrates and proposed collaboration with the National Human Rights Commission. However, the consultation noted that these efforts have yet to mature into a unified, real‑time data framework capable of informing prevention, guiding enforcement, or strengthening survivor rehabilitation.
Global Commitments, Missing Numbers
The mismatch between India’s global commitments and available data was also discussed.
“Under SDG Target 8.7, the Government of India committed to eradicate forced labour, modern slavery, and human trafficking by 2025, with a stated goal of eliminating 18.4 million bonded labourers. However, to date, no comprehensive figure is available,”
said Dr Jayanta Munsi, Senior Manager, Calcutta Society for Professional Action in Development.
Legal, Administrative, and Policy Gaps
Several speakers pointed to legal and administrative barriers affecting data sharing and coordination.
“Without a statutory or mandatory direction to civil servants, how can officials take the risk of sharing data? Greater transparency is needed if those genuinely working on this issue—both NGOs and people within the government—want to see real change,”
stated Mrs Kranti Dewan, Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Calcutta Girls’ College.
The need for district‑level, grassroots‑driven data systems was also emphasised.
“The work has to start at the grassroots level. District‑level centralised committees must trace missing persons, analyse gaps between registered and detected cases, and undertake coordinated research involving institutions, NGOs, and students,”
said Sri Subhradip Mitra, Principal Secretary, West Bengal Judicial Service.
Law Enforcement and Community Awareness
Law enforcement perspectives highlighted systemic difficulties in investigation and prosecution.
“Many missing persons cases are not reported because families do not perceive child work as wrong. Stronger laws, along with awareness among poor families, are essential. Everything cannot be left to the judiciary or police alone,”
said Ms Tandrima Gupta, ACP, Detective Department, Kolkata Police.
Expanding Data Sources Beyond Law Enforcement
Speakers highlighted the importance of alternative data sources to identify early warning signals.
“Education data is a crucial source. Boys are increasingly missing from schools in districts like Murshidabad, Dinajpur, and Malda. This trend can be tracked through block‑level DISE data,”
noted Mr Sabir Ahamed, Programme Director, Pratichi Institute.
He added:
“Freely available satellite imagery can also be used to identify child labour and trafficking‑prone units. While algorithms are not perfect, larger datasets can be converted into usable intelligence when applied carefully.”
Departmental Overlaps and Policy Contradictions
The Labour Department highlighted structural challenges.
“There are designated nodal departments for child labour, yet there are overlapping grey zones because a child labour case may also be a trafficking case. This overlap significantly complicates data collection,”
said Smt Shaon Sen, Special Secretary, Labour Department, Government of West Bengal.
She also expressed concern over loss of valuable datasets:
“The National Child Labour Project, which had substantial data, was abruptly discontinued in 2022. As a result, a significant volume of data was lost.”
Referring to Supreme Court directions, she added:
“While the Court called for regular inspections in hazardous industries, the parallel push for ease of doing business has reduced inspections. This policy contradiction underscores the urgent need for better coordination.”
Way Forward
Participants collectively underscored the need for:
- Stronger inter‑departmental coordination
- Linking data on missing persons, migration, child labour, and trafficking
- Piloting panchayat‑level data collection
- Revisiting outdated legal and punishment frameworks
- Better use of existing portals such as Karmasathi and Khoya Paya
- Strengthening academic‑NGO collaborations
WBNUJS announced its intention to:
- Host further inter‑departmental dialogues
- Organise a national‑level consultation on data management with the Indian Society of Criminology
- Issue a call for research papers, leading to publication of a book on bonded labour
Conclusion
The consultation concluded with strong consensus that robust, integrated data systems are foundational to restoring survivor confidence in the justice system and advancing effective, preventive responses to labour trafficking and bonded labour in West Bengal. Tamil Nadu’s bonded labour database and Kerala’s migration survey were cited as promising models for replication.
