A group of 19 Bangladeshis, who fell victim to human traffickers while attempting to travel from Dubai to Thailand, have been rescued from a detention camp on the Myanmar-Thailand border.
These individuals were lured with promises of high-paying jobs and were instead taken to the Myawaddy-Myaw Sot region, where they were held captive in a detention facility.
Their release was secured on Tuesday (March 18) through diplomatic efforts by the Bangladesh embassies in Yangon and Bangkok. Following their rescue, they were transferred to Thailand and are expected to return to Bangladesh later tonight.
According to diplomatic sources, these Bangladeshis initially traveled to Thailand from Dubai, seeking higher wages. However, human traffickers misled them and took them to Myanmar’s Myawaddy region, where they were confined in one of the 30 known detention camps in the area. Recently, joint forces from Thailand and Myanmar conducted operations that dismantled four to five such camps. These facilities primarily target individuals from the IT sector, promising them lucrative jobs but instead forcing them into exploitative labor. Those who fail to meet their imposed work targets often face physical abuse, and escape from these camps is nearly impossible.
This latest rescue brings the total number of Bangladeshis freed from Myanmar’s detention camps to 22. The initial breakthrough occurred when one Bangladeshi managed to escape and seek refuge in Yangon. The Bangladesh embassy in Yangon became aware of his situation and facilitated his safe return home after a month of diplomatic negotiations. His account prompted further efforts to locate and rescue other Bangladeshis trapped in similar conditions.
The Myanmar government assured its cooperation in rescuing the Bangladeshi victims but indicated that the Myawaddy region is a highly restricted area, making direct intervention difficult. It advised Bangladesh to seek support from Thai authorities, as their involvement would facilitate the release. Following diplomatic coordination between the Bangladesh embassies in Yangon and Bangkok, Thai authorities granted approval for the rescue operation, which successfully secured the release of the 19 individuals on Tuesday.
Diplomatic sources revealed that similar rescue efforts have been conducted in the past. Around 6,000 Chinese, 400 Indonesian, and 285 Indian nationals have also been freed from these Myanmar-based detention camps and repatriated to their home countries.
Recently, a growing number of Bangladeshis have fallen victim to fraudulent job offers in Vietnam and Hong Kong, where they travel on visit visas only to be deceived upon arrival. Additionally, traffickers are exploiting alternative routes, including illegal sea journeys through Myanmar, Thailand, and Indonesia, to smuggle people into Australia.
A local diplomat warned that several Bangladeshis have recently been caught by the Australian Coast Guard and deported. Criminal networks have been found forging maritime licenses to smuggle people onto ships, where they are later handed over to human trafficking rings at foreign ports. Recently, 41 Bangladeshis were trafficked to Iran through such means. Other reports indicate that certain syndicates are using Umrah visas to take Bangladeshi citizens to Saudi Arabia for illegal activities, while some are luring individuals to Russia on visit visas and coercing them into joining the war in Ukraine.
The diplomat urged Bangladeshis to be cautious and verify job offers thoroughly before traveling abroad, advising them to follow proper legal channels to avoid falling victim to human trafficking.
