Women 'trafficker' Azam Khan arrested
Bangladesh’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested a man for trafficking women and forcing them to engage in sex work at Dubai hotels, deputy inspector general of CID’s organised crime division, Imtiaz Ahmed, said at a press conference in Dhaka.
The arrested has been identified as Azam Khan who has three four-star hotels and one three-star hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The hotels owned by the ‘trafficker’ are Fortune Pearl Hotel and Dance Club, Hotel Royal Fortune, Hotel Fortune Grand and Hotel City Tower.
CID said Azam Khan is a ‘godfather’ of women trafficking. He used to collect women through his agents all over the country, promising them jobs at his hotels in Dubai. Once they reached there, he forced the women to work at the dance bars and engage in sexual activities.
However, the CID did not say where and when Azam Khan was arrested.
The CID also claimed to arrest ‘godfather’ Azam Khan’s two associates, Al Amin alias Diamond and Anowar Hossain alias Moyna.
CID said Azam Khan is a ‘godfather’ of women trafficking. He used to collect women through his agents all over the country, promising them jobs at his hotels in Dubai. Once they reached there, he forced the women to work at the dance bars and engage in sexual activities.
Bangladesh police informed the UAE authorities about Azam Khan. Following the contact from the police, the UAE authorities confiscated Azam’s passport. He recently returned home and went into the hiding.
Azam Khan faced 15 cases including six murder cases. His two brothers were his helping hands in Dubai. Middlemen from India and Pakistan are also involved.
He would promise the women a monthly salary of Tk 50,000 and then traffic them. Some foreign airlines and more than one local travel agency used to assist him in this purpose.
CID said he faced 15 cases including six murder cases. He was from Fatikchhari upazila of Chattogram. His two brothers were his helping hands in Dubai. Middlemen from India and Pakistan are also involved.
The embassy in the UAE, as per CID, sent Azam Khan back home after seizing his passport.
Asked about how he escaped from the airport, Imtiaz Ahmed said the police was not informed about the matter. Meanwhile, he added, Azam even tried to make a new passport to leave the country.
Earlier on 2 July, CID filed a case against the Azam Khan with Lalbagh police station. The women victims recorded their testimony in the case.
The CID said it will reveal details about the accused travel agencies, foreign airlines and further the information about the arrest later.