Criminals are devising ingenious methods to traffic people. While trafficking is usually carried out by sea routes, the air is also being used to traffic people using identities of singer, poet, social worker and even journalist.
Reportedly, some underground newspapers are linked to this unethical operation along with some unscrupulous travel agencies.
On 8 October last, NSI detained two persons from the Shahjalal Airport, who were on their way to Greece via Istanbul. They were carrying the identity cards of Dainik Jatiya Orthonity.
Additional police SP of airport armed police, Alamgir Hossain, said: “Human trafficking goes on in a variety of ways and the methods continue to change. Traffickers often use the identity of singers, tourists, journalists to send people overseas.”
On 8 October, Md. Dulal Khan and Md. Shahadat Hossain, were detained from the departure check in counter and under questioning, admitted to going to Greece via Istanbul.
Md. Shahadat said that he had made an agreement with a broker called Abdur Rahim for Tk. 1 million to go to Greece. After paying seven lakh, the broker took him to the owner of MM Ohi Travel and Tours, Osman, who then took him to the office of Dainik Jatiya Orthonity.
The editor of the paper, MG Kibria Chowdhury gave him an identity card for an office assistant.
Dulal Khan on the other hand said that he made a Tk. 700,000 deal with Osman and was taken to the paper office where the editor gave him the identity card of a staff reporter.
The two were told to always wear the ID cards at the airport and given assurance that in case of any problem, ASP Sakhawat Hossain of immigration police would help them.
Dulal and Shahadat contacted the duty ASP who told them to collect boarding cards and when they went to Qatar Airways booth, the NSI arrested them.
The arrested were handed over to the airport thana. Later, taking their confession the two were allowed to go free.
Acting officer of airport thana, Nur E Azam, said: “Two persons, Dulal and Shahadat, were sent to the thana but we found out that they are victims and so, let them go with advice.”
Editor of Dainik Jatiya Orthonity, M G Kibria said: “My paper is 22 years old and countless people across the country have cards and I am not involved in such acts.”
Owner of MM Ohi Travel, Osman, could not be contacted.