The Rapid Action Battalion has arrested two members of an international gang of human traffickers running business in the country.
One of the accused, Faisal R Rashid alias Reyal, 30, was apprehended in East Baniya area, Khulna around 12:30am, and the other, Md Mujibur Rahman, 50, was nabbed in front of the IDB Bhaban at Agargaon in the capital around 11am yesterday.
RAB 2 Commanding Officer Lt Col SM Masud Rana revealed the information at a press conference yesterday.
During primary interrogation, both the arrestees confessed to being involved with an international human traffickers’ ring.
The case was brought to RAB’s attention when four alleged survivors filed a complaint against Planet Overseas Consultants, a company based in Lalmatia, Dhaka promising lucrative jobs overseas, with RAB on March 20.
Mujibur, who was the leader of the Bangladesh wing of the gang, first lured the victims in with the promise lucrative, risk-free job contracts abroad at the cost of Tk20 lakh per person, and even offered to receive partial payment after the “clients” reached their destinations, the RAB 2 commanding officer quoted the victims.
They were promised jobs in Canada and told that they would be travelling to their destination via India. The victims, six of them, were first taken to Siliguri in India, but from there they were transported to Kakarvitta, a remote area in Nepal near the India-Nepal border.
At Kakarvitta, the victims were held hostage in a house under the supervision of two foreigners named Harry and Yuvraj.
While in hostage, the victims were frequently beaten by Mujibur, who forced them to contact their families and say that they had reached Canada.
He also demanded that they pay the rest of the money, threatening to kill them otherwise.
Of the six captive, four managed to escape the clutches of the traffickers and return to Dhaka.
After receiving the complaints, RAB 2 started a shadow investigation which led them to the trail of Mujibur and Reyal. They also found that Planet Overseas Consultants was not a legitimate company.
Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Maruf Ahmed, operation officer of RAB 2, said the accused would be handed over to Dhanmondi Model police station.
“The arrestees have given us valuable information regarding human trafficking. We will continue our investigation based on that information,” Lt Col Masud said.