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A suspected key member of an international human trafficking syndicate has been arrested for allegedly luring Bangladeshis with promises of taking them to Italy before sending them to Sri Lanka and Egypt, where they were held captive and tortured.
The arrestee was identified as Mohammad Arzu Rahman, 47, who was detained in a joint operation by the Special Response Battalion (SRB)-4 and SRB-1 in Dhaka’s Banani area on Monday afternoon, according to SRB officials.
Lieutenant Colonel Md Hafizur Rahman, commander of SRB-4, said Arzu allegedly took Tk 8.5 million from Kamrunnahar Fatema and five members of her family, promising to take them to Italy.
The family was later told that visas could not be obtained from Bangladesh and was sent to Sri Lanka instead, where they allegedly faced abuse.
Three male members of the family eventually escaped and returned to Bangladesh, while one of the two women reportedly remains in Sri Lanka.
According to SRB, the trafficking network subsequently took victims to Egypt, where they were allegedly confined, tortured and forced into illicit activities.
Investigators said Arzu had been involved in human trafficking for around 12 years and allegedly sent more than 2,000 Bangladeshis abroad by promising them opportunities in Italy and Europe.
SRB also said 30–35 alleged victims had recently contacted the authorities. Arzu reportedly operated without a valid licence and used names of companies, including Arzu Immigration Limited and Nafis Air Immigration Limited, to lure people with promises of overseas jobs or migration.
An alleged bank statement recovered from his mobile phone showed transactions exceeding Tk 17 million over the past year, according to SRB.