Human Trafficking Rings Lure Bangladeshis on Deadly Illegal Journeys to Europe, Leaving Families Destitute

Fifteen families in Faridpur have been left destitute after falling victim to a human trafficking ring. They held a human chain in front of the Faridpur Deputy Commissioner’s office yesterday, demanding justice against the alleged mafia ring and the return of their money.

Lured by promises of taking them to Italy, young men are being taken to Libya, held in detention facilities, tortured and forced to pay ransom. Such incidents have become increasingly common. Even after paying millions of taka in ransom, some victims fail to return home alive. Meanwhile, their families have lost their money, homes and loved ones.

The families allege that a mafia ring has taken nearly Tk 4 crore from at least 15 families in the district. One person has died as a result of the alleged torture, while several others have been missing for three and a half years. At the human chain, Mizanur Rahman, 40, who returned from Libya, rolled on the ground and cried out in despair.

“Oh brother, where can I go to get justice? Is the government not seeing this? Who will bring this mafia to justice? They have left me destitute,” he said. Mr. Mizanur is the son of Gendu Matubbar of Phulsuti village in Phulsuti Union under Nagarkanda upazila of Faridpur. He alleged that traffickers took him to Libya on the promise of sending him to Italy, held him captive and tortured him, and extorted Tk 60 lakh in three instalments.

He later escaped by breaking a window and surrendered to Libyan police. He returned to Bangladesh this year through the International Organization for Migration (IOM). At least 11 people who took part in the human chain returned to Bangladesh from Libya through the IOM this year. They said they had witnessed horrific torture inside detention facilities and escaped by breaking windows before surrendering to Libyan police.

Relatives said Habib Matubbar, 40, son of Salam Matubbar of Jangalpasha village in Azimnagar Union under Bhanga upazila, was taken to Libya in 2023. The traffickers initially took Tk 20 lakh on the promise of sending him to Italy. They later sent his family videos showing him being tortured in captivity and demanded another Tk 10 lakh, the relatives alleged.

When the family failed to pay a further Tk 10 lakh, the traffickers allegedly tortured Habib to death. His family received news of his death on February 28 this year. Habib’s wife, Taslima Begum, demanded justice for her husband’s killing at the human chain. She said she was living in severe hardship at her father’s house with their three children.

Repeated calls and text messages sent to Murad Bepari’s Libyan WhatsApp number went unanswered. Calls to the numbers of his alleged associates also received no response. Faridpur Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime and Operations) Md Shamsul Azam said, “If the affected families file complaints with us, legal action will be taken. In addition, if anyone has filed a case, we will look into it and take action after an investigation.”