Top human trafficker arrested

Police arrested a top leader of an organised human trafficking gang at a residential hotel in Chittagong city early yesterday.

The arrestee is Shamsul Alam Sohag, 35, son of Islam Mia of Paschim Sonaichhari village in Cox's Bazar's Ukhia upazila.

According to locals, the village is being used as a transit point for sending people to foreign countries illegally through sea.

Acting on a tip-off, a Chittagong Metropolitan Police team raided the hotel around 2:00am and nabbed Sohag, who is also the general secretary of Jaliapalong union unit of Jubo Dal, the BNP's youth wing.

Dewan Abul Hossain, inspector of Cox's Bazar Detective Branch (DB) of police,   said Sohag was handed over to the Chittagong Criminal Investigation Department. Sohag was being interrogated.

Jahirul Islam, officer-in-charge of Ukhia Police Station, said Sohag stood accused in several cases with Ukhia, Ramu and Teknaf police stations under the Human Trafficking Deterrence and Suppression Act, 2012.

The arrestee was one of the human trafficking racket kingpins. He went into hiding as the law enforcers were conducting a special drive in the district against the listed human traffickers, the police official added.