The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested two people for their alleged involvement in a human trafficking syndicate linked to the deaths of eight Bangladeshis in a boat sinking while they were attempting to reach Italy illegally by sea.
The arrestees are Md Rafiqul Islam Rafiq Bagha, 54, and Md Amir Hossain Swapan, 38.
A team of the CID’s Trafficking in Human Beings (THB) unit arrested them on Wednesday (September 16) in the Tekerhat Bazar area of Rajoir upazila in Madaripur.
CID Special Superintendent of Police (Media) Md Sufi Ullah disclosed the information in a press release on Thursday.
According to the release, between December 2023 and February 2024, the syndicate made several attempts to send Bangladeshi nationals from Libya to Italy by sea. During one such attempt, a boat sank off the Tunisian coast, leaving eight Bangladeshis dead.
The victims’ bodies were later repatriated to Bangladesh through government arrangements and handed over to their families. The sole survivor of the incident later disclosed the names and addresses of those allegedly involved in a statement before a court.
The CID investigation found that an organised trafficking syndicate collected large sums of money from victims’ families by promising to send them to Italy legally. The victims were then taken from Libya by motorised trawler and sent toward Italy by sea.
The trawler subsequently sank off the Tunisian coast, killing eight Bangladeshis.
During interrogation, the two arrestees reportedly admitted to collecting money from the family of deceased victim Russel Sheikh, 19, handing it over to other members of the trafficking syndicate and assisting in arrangements to send him abroad, the CID said.
The arrestees were produced before a court. A case under the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act has been filed against Rafiqul Islam with Rajoir Police Station in Madaripur.
The CID said it is continuing its investigation to identify other people linked to the arrestees, fugitive suspects, local and foreign associates of the trafficking network, and potential victims.
Earlier, two other accused Gurudas Baroi, 45, and Md Motleb Matbar, 68 were arrested and sent to court in connection with the case.
The CID urged citizens not to hand over money or passports without proper verification when approached by individuals or organisations offering overseas employment, migration or travel opportunities.
It also advised people to use only government-approved legal channels and verify the credentials of individuals and organisations before making any payments.