Rab 'rescues 4 girls from trafficking'

The Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) yesterday claimed to have arrested eight members of a human trafficking gang and rescued four teenage girls supposed to be trafficked into neighbouring countries.

The arrests and rescues were made in separate drives in Dhaka, Gazipur and Jessore since Friday following an investigation of a trafficking incident in Sirajganj in September last year, said Mufti Mahmud Khan, Rab's legal and media wing director, at a press briefing at Rab headquarters in the capital.  

"In the last five to seven years, the gang had trafficked around 500 people, mostly female, to different countries," he said.

"The two kingpins of the gang, Salman and Taher, are still at large. Rab is trying to arrest them," he added.

The rescued are Sohagi, Shirin, Sharmin and Riya. Rab recovered 12 passports, 11 fake visas of Middle East countries, 51 fake air tickets, and 53 fake appointment letters of foreign jobs from the arrestees.

While describing their operations, Mufti Mahmud said one Rawshan Ara complained to the Rab camp in Sirajganj that her daughter Sabina had been abducted and reportedly trafficked to India, and an unknown caller demanded Tk 5 lakh for her safe return to Bangladesh.

Following that, Rab investigated and found an international human trafficking gang behind it, he said.

According to Rab, the force rescued Sohagi and arrested two traffickers, Mohammad Rokon, 21, and Ayesha Akter Asha, who allegedly sent Sabina to India from Borobari area in Gazipur on Friday.

Based on their information, Rab arrested two more traffickers, Amir Hossain and Hasan Khondhoker, from Jatrabari area in the capital on Saturday night and rescued Shirin from their custody.

The next day, Rab arrested three more traffickers, Habib, Milton and Samad, who mainly communicate with their Indian counterparts from Benapole bordering areas in Jessore.

Another trafficker, Mamun Mirza, was arrested in Paltan of the capital, and later on the basis of his information, two victims, Sharmin and Riya, were rescued from Keraniganj.

Replying to a query, Mufti Mahmud said they had found the location of Sabina in India and steps were being taken through consultation with Interpol for her return. 

The Rab official said the gang had district and upazila level agents who used to lure poor people, mainly females, with the promise of high salaried jobs abroad.

Those who agree to their offers are taken to the capital and kept confined for days or months. Later, the traffickers in their convenient time send the victims to neighbouring countries in exchange for money.

Rab officials said most of the trafficked females were forced to be sex slaves in foreign land.