Joynal is one of many young Bangladeshis to have left their country in search of a better life. Human traffickers lured him onto a dangerous boat journey from southern Bangladesh to Malaysia, promising an escape from poverty. Many victims perish during this journey or end up imprisoned in Malaysia. Joynal has been missing for over eight years. His mother, Amena, has been trying to find him ever since and refuses to give up hope. On her quest to find traces of Joynal, Amena encounters Abdus, who drives electric three-wheelers on routes near her home village. He is a trafficking survivor and worked illegally in Malaysia for 5 years, before returning home with his earnings. He remains haunted by his experience but agrees to help Amena. Together, Amena and Abdus visit various people and places to find traces of Joynal. Recently, a national newspaper featured pictures of several Bangladeshi migrants imprisoned in Malaysia. One of them bears an eerie resemblance to Joynal, reigniting Amena’s hope of finding her son.

Ghost Boat puts a human face on the global issue of human trafficking. Our campaign aims to warn young villagers in the region of the traffickers’ false promises and to put national and international pressure on government authorities to support affected communities.