Seventy-eight more Bangladeshis rescued from cyber scam compounds in Cambodia returned home on Wednesday night, bringing the total number of returnees to 221 over the past four days.
The latest group arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on a Thai Airways flight (TG-339).
Like the previous batches, the returnees received emergency support and financial assistance to travel home through the efforts of Civil Aviation Security and Brac's Migration Program at the airport.
Shariful Hasan, associate director of Brac's Migration Program and Youth Platform, described cyber scam operations as a severe form of human trafficking.
"Victims are lured abroad with promises of lucrative jobs and later forced to engage in online fraud against their will," he said.
According to Hasan, many of the Bangladeshis were pressured to carry out cyber scams targeting citizens of developed countries, including the United States. Those who failed to meet targets reportedly faced physical and psychological abuse.
He said the rescue operation was made possible through action taken by Cambodian law enforcement agencies against several scam compounds.
"The return of 221 Bangladeshis in just four days indicates the scale of the problem," Hasan said, adding that several returnees have already filed cases and calling for a thorough investigation and legal action against those responsible.
According to the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), 15,921 Bangladeshi workers travelled to Cambodia for employment over the past one and a half years.
Many of the returnees alleged that thousands of Bangladeshis remain stranded in Cambodia without jobs and are living in inhumane conditions.
One returnee said he paid Tk550,000 to brokers who promised him a job at a company in Cambodia. He said he travelled with BMET clearance but was allowed to enter Cambodia on a visit visa, which was never renewed.
"After arriving, I found there was no company or job. Later, I was sold to a scam compound," he said.
Another victim alleged that workers were subjected to physical abuse and forced to carry out fraudulent activities.
"If we refused to work, we were taken to torture cells and subjected to physical abuse, including electric shocks," he said.
Earlier, 37 victims returned from Cambodia on June 12, followed by 54 on June 13 and another 78 on June 17. Eight Bangladeshis rescued from a cyber scam centre in Myanmar returned home on January 22 this year, while 18 others returned on September 19, 2025.
Brac said victims were recruited through fake websites, emails and social media platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp and Telegram, using promises of high-paying jobs such as computer operators and call centre staff.
After being taken abroad, many were allegedly held captive at gunpoint and forced to participate in cyber fraud operations.
Brac urged jobseekers to remain cautious and avoid fraudulent employment offers in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.
