Four members of human trafficking ring held for luring women to China

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-4 has arrested four members of a human trafficking gang that lured young women to China with promises of high-paying jobs and later sold them into brothels.

Based on a case filed by a woman who recently escaped from China, RAB conducted drives across different areas in Dhaka and detained the four, including the ring leader.

At a press briefing held at RAB’s media centre in Karwan Bazar at noon on October 15 (Wednesday), RAB-4 Commanding Officer Lt Col Md Mahbub Alam shared the details.

The arrestees are—ring leader Abbas Mollah (36), Jahidul Islam alias Babu (31), Minar Sardar (30), and Md Ripon Sheikh (28).

According to RAB, the victim, who worked at a beauty parlour in Pirojpur, saw a Facebook post offering high-salary jobs in China in March this year. She then contacted Babu, one of the accused, and came to Dhaka with her sister following his suggestion.

The traffickers arranged their passports and visas and sent them to China on June 13. However, instead of beauty parlour jobs, the women were forcibly sold into prostitution.

The victim told RAB that the traffickers recorded videos of the abuse and used them to blackmail and torture her. She later escaped and returned to Bangladesh, filing a case at Shah Ali Police Station on September 30.

Lt Col Mahbub Alam said, “Based on the victim’s complaint, we began a shadow investigation. With technological assistance, we identified the ringleader and his associates and arrested them from different parts of the capital.”

He added that during interrogation, the arrestees admitted they had been trafficking women to China for nearly 10 years, using fake promises of marriage and high-paying jobs.

According to RAB, the syndicate prepared fake documents such as passports, birth certificates, NIDs, and visas through illegal collaborations to speed up the process.

Lt Col Mahbub Alam said, “We have information that the gang trafficked at least 20 women to China, though the actual number may be higher.”

RAB also said several other Bangladeshis and some Chinese nationals are linked with the syndicate.

A case has been filed under the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act against the detainees.