Human trafficking: ‘ringleader’ based in Kuwait arrested from Narsingdi

Criminal Investigation Department has said they have arrested a human trafficking ringleader based in Kuwait from Madhabdi upazila in Narsingdi district.

Ameer Hossain alias Siraj Uddin (49) fled from Kuwait in May last year after he faced a trial there on charge of his involvement in human trafficking, Jisanul Haque, senior assistant superintendent (serious crime) of CID told The Daily Star.

CID learned about Ameer through a report of a foreign intelligence agency and finally caught him on Monday night, he added.  

Ameer went to Kuwait several years ago and along with two compatriots and a Kuwait national, he formed a human trafficking gang there. The gang trafficked nearly 900 Bangladeshis to Kuwait, Jisanul said.

According to CID sources, the gang members used to collect forged visas from Kuwait authorities and sent them to fortune seekers back in Bangladesh. In exchange, they would take Tk 6 lakh per person.

The migrants who had gone to Kuwait with high hopes would often find themselves in utter misery. They had no jobs, and had to wander the streets for lack of food and accommodation, the CID official said.

Kuwait authorities started the investigation against the gang after some victims lodged complaints there. Though the Kuwait national, one of the ringleaders, is serving a six-year jail in his country, Ameer and two other Bangladeshis somehow fled to Bangladesh before they were given any jail term or fine.

CID officials said they are now trying to arrest other members of the gang.