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A suspected ringleader of an international human trafficking network has been arrested for allegedly defrauding job seekers with promises of lucrative employment in Europe and other countries, authorities said.
Mohammad Arzu Rahman, 47, was arrested from Banani C Block in Dhaka on Monday in a joint operation by Special Response Battalion-4 (SRB-4) and SRB-1 based on information from the National Security Intelligence (NSI).
SRB-4 Commander Lt Col Md Hafizur Rahman disclosed the details at a press conference at the battalion’s headquarters in Paikpara, Mirpur-1, on Tuesday afternoon.
According to the briefing, a trafficking victim, Kamrun Nahar, sought help from the NSI on July 16. An investigation found that the network allegedly collected around Tk85 lakh from several people, including Kamrun Nahar, Fatema, Anjuman Ara, Parvez, Firoz and Mehedi Hasan, promising to send them to Italy via Serbia and Belarus.
Instead, the victims were allegedly taken through Nepal, Sri Lanka, Egypt and Libya and attempts were made to send them to Europe through dangerous sea routes.
Three victims eventually managed to return to Bangladesh, while Kamrun Nahar was reportedly stranded in Egypt and Anjuman Ara in Sri Lanka. They later contacted the NSI for assistance in securing their return.
Lt Col Hafizur Rahman said around 30–35 victims from different parts of Bangladesh contacted the authorities after Rahman’s arrest, many of whom had returned home after facing serious risks abroad. He added that around 300 victims are in contact with the NSI.
A preliminary assessment suggests that more than 2,000 Bangladeshis may have been defrauded or trafficked by the network, he said. The group allegedly charged victims between Tk20 lakh and Tk25 lakh, with some paying as much as Tk40 lakh.
According to information obtained during Rahman’s initial questioning, he had allegedly been involved in illegal manpower recruitment and human trafficking for about 12 years. He reportedly targeted unemployed young people and women in remote areas, operating under the names of Arzu Immigration Ltd, Nafis Air Immigration Ltd and other unlicensed entities.
Authorities said transactions worth Tk1.70 crore were detected in one of his bank accounts over the past year alone.
The authorities also alleged that women were trafficked abroad using fake visas and forced into exploitative activities. Some were allegedly subjected to physical and psychological abuse, including being held hostage and burned with cigarette ends if they refused to comply.
Several women who escaped from Egypt reportedly described the alleged abuse in video messages. Authorities said some women remain stranded in Egypt and efforts are underway to repatriate them through the relevant ministries.
Rahman has been handed over to the concerned police station for legal action. The investigation is continuing to identify and arrest other members of the alleged trafficking network, the SRB commander said.