37 Bangladeshis rescued from cyber scam compounds in Cambodia return home

Thirty-seven Bangladeshi nationals rescued from cyber scam compounds in Cambodia returned home late Thursday (June 11), ending a harrowing ordeal in which they were allegedly trafficked and forced to engage in online fraud operations.

The victims arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on a Thai Airways flight (TG-339), according to BRAC Migration Programme, which provided emergency assistance and financial support for their return home.

Several returnees said they had been lured abroad with promises of lucrative jobs before being transported to Cambodia through legal channels. Upon arrival, however, they were allegedly handed over by Bangladeshi trafficking networks to Chinese-operated cyber scam compounds in exchange for money.

The victims alleged that they were subsequently detained and compelled to participate in fraudulent online activities targeting foreign nationals, particularly citizens of the United States and other developed countries.

According to their accounts, those who failed to meet assigned targets were subjected to physical and psychological abuse.

The Bangladeshis were rescued during recent operations conducted by Cambodian law enforcement agencies against a number of cyber scam centres operating in the country.

The latest repatriation follows similar rescue efforts involving Bangladeshi victims trapped in cyber fraud networks across Southeast Asia. Earlier this year, eight Bangladeshis returned from a cyber scam centre in Myanmar, while another group of 18 victims was repatriated after being trafficked through border areas near Thailand.

Victims from previous cases reported that their passports and mobile phones were confiscated upon arrival, leaving them isolated and unable to contact their families while being forced to participate in online scams under threat and intimidation.

Shariful Hasan, associate director of BRAC's Migration Programme and Youth Platform, described cyber scam operations as one of the fastest-growing forms of human trafficking.

He said criminal groups frequently advertise attractive overseas jobs for positions such as computer operators, typists and call-centre staff through fake websites, emails and social media platforms. Recruits are then taken to scam centres where they are held against their will and forced to carry out cyber fraud activities.

Warning prospective migrants, Hasan urged job seekers to thoroughly verify overseas employment offers and remain vigilant about opportunities in countries frequently linked to cyber scam trafficking networks, including Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.

He also called for stronger scrutiny of overseas recruitment processes, enhanced protection for migrant workers and greater international cooperation to combat human trafficking and cyber-enabled crime.