RAB nabs four members of international women trafficking gang

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested four alleged members of an international woman trafficking gang, including its ring leader Ashraful Mandal alias Boss Rafi and his close associate Madam Shahida

The arrests came as RAB launched an investigation on trafficking of women to neighbouring India and over the recent alleged rape and torture of a Bangladeshi woman by fellow Bangladeshis there, an official said on Tuesday.

The two other arrestees are Md. Ismail Sardar, 38, and Md Abdur Rahman Sheikh alias Arman Sheikh, 28.

Based on secret information, Intelligence wing of the RAB headquarters and members of RAB-3 battalion jointly conducted simultaneous drives in Jhenaidah Sadar, Abhaynagar and Benapole in Jessore from 31 May to 1 June morning and arrested the four members of the International women trafficking syndicate.

Last week a case was filed with Hatirjheel police station in the capital Dhaka over the abuse of the Bangladeshi woman.

The woman’s father filed the case under human trafficking and pornography act against Rifadul ul Islam alias TikTok Hridoy of Moghbazar area, and several others.

Briefing reporters at Rab media centre of Karwanbazar in the city on Tuesday, RAB'S headquarters legal and media wing director commander Khandaker Al Moin said that during preliminary interrogation, the four arrestees revealed that they trafficked women and girls to India luring them with job promises.

TikTok Hridoy is one of Boss Rafi’s supplier or agent.

TikTok Hridoy attracted online girls from various social media groups with lure of making them TikTok models, Commander Moin said.

Thus tempted the victims would then be smuggled to neighbouring countries through Boss Rafi with job promises in super markets and beauty parlours.

Earlier it was reported that police in India's Bengaluru arrested five Bangladeshis - four men and a woman - for allegedly raping and torturing a woman believed to be from Bangladesh.

The arrests were made last week hours after Assam police shared visuals from a video circulating on social media to trace the accused, the Hindustan Times reported.

The video showed five people, including the woman, subjecting another woman to physical abuse and torture. Bengaluru city police promptly traced and arrested them.

According to the report, the accused and the victim are all Bangladeshis.