Mohammad Shafiqul Islam went to Cambodia through a manpower agent in the hope of getting a computer data-entry job. But after arriving there, his passport and mobile phone were taken away. He was held captive and tortured for refusing to engage in online scams. The 30-year-old man claimed he was released after paying $3,200.
According to Shafiqul, he returned home after a harrowing 22-day experience in Cambodia. During this time, he was held captive for 17 days at an alleged ‘scam centre’. He said he was regularly beaten and subjected to electric shocks, while being given insufficient food. He was also allegedly being put up for sale.
Shafiqul lives with his wife, a son and a daughter in Mirpur, Dhaka. He had been running a fire-safety equipment business for around eight years. After becoming acquainted on Facebook with a man named Mohammad Masud Mia, he was offered a job abroad. At one point, he was sent to Cambodia on the promise of a data-entry job on a computer.
This correspondent verified some of Shafiqul’s passport, travel documents and financial transaction information. However, his account of being held captive, tortured and allegedly put up for sale in Cambodia could not be independently verified.
Tk 450,000 agreement
Shafiqul said that before going to Cambodia, he learned basic computer skills. On 1 September last year, he signed an agreement with Masud for Tk 450,000 on a Tk 200 stamp paper. He also completed three days of training by the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) at the Probashi Kalyan Bhaban in Dhaka and received a clearance certificate, which is a smart card. His flight was initially scheduled for 16 October, but it was later rescheduled for 26 October.
After arriving at the airport in Dhaka, immigration police stopped Shafiqul. He was told to have his smart card verified at the Probashi Desk. Shafiqul said, “There was a woman at the Probashi Desk. She was scanning and verifying everyone’s cards. After I handed over my passport, she saw my name and let me go without verification. When I went back to immigration, the police allowed me to proceed.”
However, after arriving in Cambodia, Shafiqul was stopped by the country’s immigration authorities. Police seized and kept his passport. He then contacted a man named Mostafa Mukul, an associate of Masud who was staying in Cambodia, by phone from Phnom Penh airport. After a while, the police officer concerned checked the messages on Shafiqul’s phone. Shafiqul claimed that his employment visa was later changed to a tourist visa. He was then allowed to leave the airport.
Calling and chatting scams
Arif, an associate of Mukul, was waiting outside Phnom Penh airport. Shafiqul reached a residential building 40 minutes later in an auto-rickshaw with him. In the meantime, Arif took $800 from him. By the time they arrived, it was night. He was given some food and told that there would be an interview shortly.
Suddenly, at around 1:00 am, another person was put into the car with Shafiqul. At around 8:00 am on 27 October, they arrived at a complex near the Thailand border. Inside the compound, which was surrounded by boundary walls, there were three six-storey buildings. The two were accommodated on the third floor of one building. Their workplace was on the fifth floor of the same building.
According to Shafiqul, the entire compound was much like a prison. There was no way to leave. Security guards were stationed all around. His mobile phone and passport were taken away. He was made to sign a document written in Chinese, which was then kept by them. He was subsequently given two scripts, one in Hindi and another in English, and told to memorise them. They spent a day this way. Work began on 28 October. He was assigned to the ‘calling room’.
Shafiqul said it was basically a ‘scam centre’, which was owned by the Chinese, and operated by the Pakistanis. There were two departments here: calling and chatting.
In the calling department, there were four stages. The first-line workers called 500 numbers a day from a list to verify names and addresses. They mainly targeted Indians. After collecting the initial information, the case was passed to the second line. They called to verify Aadhaar cards (Indian citizens’ identity cards).
After obtaining this information, the third line was the police station. They made video calls pretending to be police officers, and the entire room was decorated to resemble a police station. One or two people were handcuffed and placed in the background, pretending to be accused persons. Threats were made.
The fourth stage involved a room designed like a bank. They called the same customer, demanded a fine in the name of the police, collected some more information and asked for the PIN number.
Meanwhile, the bank account was hacked and all the money was stolen. This was how the scam operated in four stages.
The work in the chatting room is different. They mainly operate profiles created in women's names on various social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram and dating apps). This group works from 11:00 pm until 11:00 am the following day. They target US citizens and lure them into romantic relationships.
While chatting, they eventually talk over audio calls. Although men speak on the calls, software makes the voice heard on the other end sound like a woman's voice. This helps create trust. They gradually collect information this way and then use hacking to steal money from the US citizens.
Released after 22 days
Shafiqul said that on 28 October, he and another man named Ishtiaq Rabbi joined the second stage of work in the calling room. Most of the people working at the centre were Pakistani.
There were also some Bangladeshis and Indians. Two days later, when they refused to work, the two were handcuffed and detained. That night, there was an interview, and Rabbi was sold. Shafiqul was then subjected to torture.
Shafiqul said he was subjected to electric shocks and beatings. They repeatedly tried to sell him but failed. Suddenly, on 16 November, they released him and put him in a vehicle.
The vehicle took him to Siem Reap and dropped him off at an isolated location. His passport and mobile phone were returned. After he requested help, the driver took him to a bus station and bought him a ticket to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.
Shafiqul spoke to his family by phone. He learned that his younger brother had sought help from the Bangladeshi community in Cambodia. They had paid $3,200 and arranged for his release from the scam centre.
After reaching Phnom Penh, he stayed at the home of a community representative. After staying there for two days, a ticket was arranged from Bangladesh and he returned home on 18 November empty-handed.
After returning home, Shafiqul spoke to the broker, Masud. Masud claimed that he did not know about the attempt to sell him. He also promised to provide compensation. Since then, Masud has been untraceable. His office is also closed. Shafiqul is preparing to file a case.
Shafiqul said he had endured torture and abuse. Since he has received neither compensation nor justice, he now seeks the government's assistance.