No trafficking evidence in Malaysia worker recruitment case

A Detective Branch (DB) investigation has found no evidence of human trafficking against any of the 103 accused in a case involving an alleged syndicate of recruiting agencies, politicians and government officials accused of making around Tk24,000 crore by deceiving Bangladeshi workers in the Malaysia recruitment process.

The investigation, however, recommended prosecution of 51 of the accused under various sections of the Penal Code for their alleged involvement in irregularities and fraud.

The complainant has filed a naraji petition challenging the investigation report and seeking a fresh probe. The court is scheduled to hear the matter today.

Confirming the development, Public Prosecutor (PP) of the Dhaka Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Prevention Tribunal Mostafa Akmal Khan told the Daily Sun, “No evidence of human trafficking was found in the investigation. The complainant has filed a naraji petition against it. If the court is satisfied, it may order a further investigation.”

Sub-Inspector Md Raihanur Rahman of the DB’s Cyber and Special Crime (South) unit, who led the investigation, submitted a supplementary charge sheet and final report after completing the further probe.

Talking to the Daily Sun, he said, “We found the allegations to be true in one part and submitted a charge sheet over that. We did not find the other allegations to be true, so we submitted a final report on those.”

Altab Khan, proprietor of Afia Overseas Limited, filed the case with Paltan police station on 3 September 2024, accusing 103 people.

According to the complaint, the alleged syndicate included former Feni-2 MP Nizam Uddin Hazari, former Feni-3 MP Lt Col (retd) Masud Uddin Chowdhury, former Dhaka-20 MP Benjir Ahmed, former finance minister and former Cumilla-10 MP AHM Mustafa Kamal’s wife Kashmeri Kamal, former expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment minister Imran Ahmad, former senior secretary Dr Ahmed Munirus Saleheen and former Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) president Mohammad Abul Basher.

The complaint alleged that the syndicate demanded Tk1.5 lakh per worker, although the government had fixed the total migration cost at Tk78,990.

Khan also accused Malaysian national of Bangladeshi origin Aminul Islam Bin Abdul Nor, owner of Bestinet, which operates the Foreign Workers Central Management System (FWCMS) software MiGRAMS, and former BAIRA secretary general Md Ruhul Amin Swapan of being key figures in the alleged syndicate.

Khan claimed that he paid Tk12.56 crore between 11 November 2022 and 8 May 2024 for 841 workers amid pressure from workers to complete visa processing. He also claimed an additional loss of Tk20 crore.

The complaint further alleged that the accused collected around Tk24,000 crore from other businessmen and trafficked workers, subjecting some to confinement, wage deprivation, forced labour and physical and mental abuse.

The case was initially investigated by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Inspector Md Rasel submitted a report on 15 July 2025, finding the allegations false and recommending action against Khan for allegedly filing a false case.

Khan challenged the report, following which the court ordered the DB to conduct a further investigation.

The DB found evidence against 51 accused under Sections 406, 420, 385, 386, 427 and 34 of the Penal Code. They include former minister Imran Ahmad, Dr Ahmed Munirus Saleheen, former MP Lt Gen (retd) Masud Uddin Chowdhury and former MP Nizam Uddin Hazari, along with recruiting agency owners and others.

The report alleged that Khan was pressured to use selected agencies and that Tk12.56 crore was collected from him for 841 workers.

It also alleged that Saleheen made his son a member of a recruiting agency in violation of rules, while Imran approved the launch of the “Ami Probashi” app involving members of his family.

The DB found insufficient evidence against the remaining 52 accused in relation to the Penal Code allegations and recommended their discharge.

The investigation found no evidence of human trafficking. It said the workers were selected through the ministry under the government-to-government (G2G) arrangement, obtained clearance from the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) and travelled to Malaysia legally.

Khan could not provide the names or identifying details of workers allegedly trafficked or abused, according to the investigator. The DB also said it found no complaints of abuse after seeking information from relevant authorities in December 2024 and January 2025.

The DB therefore recommended that all 103 accused be relieved of charges under Sections 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act, 2012.

The complainant’s lawyer, Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, said all 103 accused had worked together as a syndicate.

“Therefore, if the allegations are substantiated, all of them should be held accountable, not just a few. Since they were all part of the same syndicate, we have filed a no-confidence petition against the investigation report,” he said.

Regarding the DB’s recommendation to relieve the accused of the human trafficking allegations, he said the workers were sent to Malaysia but were not provided with the jobs specified in their contracts.

“Many of them were eventually forced to return to Bangladesh,” he said, claiming that the incidents fall within the legal definition of human trafficking.

Contacted by the Daily Sun, complainant Altab Khan said, “One accused has given a confessional statement in the case. We have challenged the investigation report and the hearing is scheduled for 22 September. We expect justice.”

SM Rafik, one of the accused in the case, gave a confessional statement explaining the situation he encountered during the days of sending workers to Malaysia.

He said on behalf of syndicate members that Md Ruhul Amin Swapan received the money at his office.

Mentioning the publication of a list of a 25-member syndicate in 2022, Rafik said that following the BAIRA election in 2022-23, the number of syndicate members increased within a short period—from 25 to 50, then 75 and subsequently 101.

“We were then instructed to make payments at the Bashundhara office of their representatives and the principal figures of the syndicate, including Aminul Islam bin Abdul Noor and Md Ruhul Amin Swapan and their associates,” he said in his statement.

He said he subsequently completed medical examinations through authorised persons and deposited the passports of around 400-450 workers at the Catharsis office for e-visas. The office then asked him to pay Tk1.5 lakh in cash per worker before releasing the passports, he said.

The Daily Sun contacted several recruiting agency owners who said they had been victims of deception.

A former BAIRA leader, wishing to remain anonymous, questioned the DB’s findings.

“There are many questions about the DB’s role. Some agency members told me that there were transactions of money to exonerate a few companies from the charges,” the senior BAIRA leader said.

He also questioned why the DB accused 49 recruiting agencies but excluded the names of 51 agencies allegedly involved with the syndicate.

He further questioned why Catharsis International, owned by Ruhul Amin Swapan, was excluded from the list of accused companies despite its alleged involvement.