18 Bangladeshis imprisoned, tortured in 'scam centres' in Myanmar return home

Eighteen Bangladeshi victims of human trafficking, who were held captive in a "scam centre" in Myanmar, have finally returned home. 

They arrived in Dhaka on a Thai Airways flight at 12:45am today (19 March).

Upon arrival, staff from the BRAC Migration Program provided them with emergency assistance at the airport, according to a press release.

The traffickers lured these Bangladeshis with promises of good jobs with high salaries and initially took them to Thailand. From there, they were transported to scam centres in Myanmar, where the traffickers forced them into cybercrime activities.

Those who refused were subjected to severe torture, including electric shocks. One person fell ill and started vomiting blood, after which another Bangladeshi, named Junayed, was sent with him to the hospital. Junayed escaped from there, crossed a river, and reached Thailand. He then started efforts to rescue the others, the release added.

Shariful Hasan, Associate Director of BRAC Migration & Youth Platform, stated, "The victims' families contacted BRAC for help in rescuing them. We then coordinated with Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, CID, and the Bangladesh Embassy in Thailand. Due to the relentless efforts of all parties, these 18 Bangladeshis were finally freed from their harrowing captivity."

One of the rescued victims, Md Alif from Chattogram shared his traumatic experience, "I used to work on a ship in Dubai. Traffickers tricked me into believing I had secured a high-paying data entry job and took me to Thailand. From there, they transported me to Myawaddy, a border town between Thailand and Myanmar. Many people from different countries were held at gunpoint and sold to scam centres. I was imprisoned and tortured there for six months. To survive, I had no choice but to work for the scam operation."

CID Additional Superintendent of Police Mostafizur Rahman confirmed that the main trafficker, Iftikharul Islam Rony, has been charged in eight human trafficking cases filed at different police stations across the country. 

"He was arrested on 18 January at Chattogram Airport. Efforts are also underway to apprehend another key trafficker, Abdullah Al Noman," he added. 

Mostafizur Rahman added, "BRAC has been working closely with us throughout the entire rescue operation for the victims of human trafficking."

The rescued individuals are Omar Faruk, Rashedul Islam Rifat, Alif Imran, Mohammad Raihan Subhan, SK Arman, Pavel Chowdhury, Monir Hossain, Ismail Hossain, Nazim Uddin, Zahir Uddin, Tanveer Ahmed Rafi, Tainur Khalilullah, Saymon Hossain Abir, Ujjal Hossain, Mehedi Hasan Shanto, Mohammad Kaiser Hossain, Shah Alam, and Akash Ali.