Bangladesh parliamentarian involved in 'trafficking humans' to Kuwait
A Bangladeshi parliamentarian, Kazi Shahid Islam, has been found reportedly involved in trafficking humans to Kuwait.
He fled back home from Kuwait before a drive was undertaken there to arrest a trafficking gang, reports a Kuwait-based media outlet quoting the home ministry.
The Kuwait Criminal Investigation Department (CID) claimed that a gang of three including the parliamentarian illegally earned nearly Tk 14 billion by trafficking at least 20,000 Bangladeshis to Kuwait.
Daily Al-Qabas and Arab Times ran reports on Wednesday on Bangladeshi human traffickers including the parliamentarian.
Media outlets in Kuwait, however, did not mention the names of the accused.
Sources at the Bangladesh embassy in Kuwait said the accused parliamentarian is Kazi Shahid Islam alias Papul. He is an elected member of parliament (MP) from Lakshmipur-2 constituency.
Speaking to Prothom Alo Lakshmipur correspondent, Shahid Islam said, “This is a conspiracy against me locally and internationally for being elected an MP. I’m not involved in any criminal activities and have running been business with a good reputation.”
According to the Facebook page and personal website of Kazi Shahid Islam, he is managing director and chief executive officer of Marafie Kuwaitia Group of Companies, in Kuwait, Oman and Jordan.
The firm is involved in overseas employment. He is the vice president of NRB Commercial Bank and chairman of NRB Securities and Exchange Company.
This independent MP is the main patron of Awami League in Kuwait, Bangabandhu Parishad central committee member and founding president of Bangladesh community in Kuwait. Failing to get nomination from Awami League, he was elected MP as an independent candidate in the last general election.
Arab Times on Wednesday reported a Bangladeshi of a three-man gang has been arrested while the two others have left the country after sensing trouble.
The daily said that the trio occupied important positions in three major companies that brought into the country more than 20,000 Bangladeshi menial workers in exchange for large sums of money believed to be more than 50 million dinars (Nearly Tk 14 billion).
What is surprising is one of the three men, it reported, recently became a member in the Bangladeshi parliament and is on the board of directors of a large bank in his country and that he shuttled between Kuwait and Bangladesh.
His stay in Kuwait was no more than 48 hours. The sources revealed as soon as this MP learned he would be investigated by the personnel from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) he left the country about a week ago. The file of the company managed by the suspect was suspended after discovering the workers were not paid their salaries for more than 5 months.
Quoting Al-Qabas daily, Arab Times on Thursday ran another report. The Bangladeshi parliamentarian is believed to be involved in ‘visa trade’ in Kuwait.
He is one of the three-man gang sought by the security authorities.
Informed sources said the fugitive Bangladeshi MP is said to have given 5 expensive cars as gifts to senior government officials to facilitate the company he runs to get several government contracts on the strength of which he brought into the country a large number of Bangladeshi workers who are said to have paid large sums of money to get jobs in Kuwait. It is also said he paid for the cars in cash.
The sources said the wife of the Bangladeshi MP is also a member of parliament in Bangladesh. The suspect is said to have transferred most of his wealth to America and has entered into business partnership with a US citizen.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, Bangladesh ambassador in Kuwait, SM Abul Kalam on Friday said they contacted the Kuwait CID after the publication of reports in this regard. CID declined to provide any information as the matter is under investigation, the ambassador added.
Another source at Bangladesh embassy said Kuwait CID informed the embassy that a gang including arrested Bangladeshi is involved in human trafficking.
The source also said Sultan of Sylhet and Tarique of Gazipur, are involved in that human trafficking gang.
Sultan fled to Europe via Bangladesh one and half months ago while Tarique was beaten up and handed over to the law enforcing agencies.
*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.