Biman official arrested over alleged fake-visa trafficking to Italy
CID says each victim paid Tk20 lakh in advance.
A Biman Bangladesh Airlines official has been arrested over allegations of involvement in human trafficking and migrant smuggling to Italy using fake Schengen visas.
CID's Trafficking in Human Being (THB) Unit arrested Mohammad Akhlasur Rahman, 40, from Nilakkhiya Bazar in Jamalpur's Bakshiganj upazila around 3:30am today (16 June), said Mohammad Badrul Alam Mollah, special superintendent of police of CID's Serious Crime Investigation unit, at a press briefing at the CID headquarters in Malibagh.
Akhlasur is a junior officer at Biman Bangladesh Airlines, he said.
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According to CID, a trafficking ring lured several victims with promises of jobs and a better life in Italy.
The ring allegedly took Tk20 lakh from each victim as advance payment under a Tk30 lakh contract to send them to Italy, CID said.
The victims were later given tickets, boarding passes and fake Schengen visas to travel to Italy via Nepal.
CID said the victims left Bangladesh on 26 May. Immigration authorities at Rome's Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International Airport later examined the visas and found them to be fake.
The victims were detained for two days before being sent back to Bangladesh on 28 May.
After their return, the victims gave details of the incident during questioning by immigration police, CID and other agencies, Badrul Alam said.
CID said the investigation found that the trafficking ring had taken large sums of money by promising legal overseas employment and supplying fake visas.
A case has been filed with Airport Police Station under the "Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Act-2026".
CID said Akhlasur would be handed over to the police station concerned and produced before court.
Responding to a question, Badrul Alam said investigators had found evidence of involvement of officials and employees of several organisations.
"We have found evidence of involvement of officials and employees of several organisations. No one will be spared. Anyone involved in human trafficking will be brought to justice," he said.
CID said the investigation is continuing to identify and arrest the ringleader and other members of the trafficking network.
The agency also urged people seeking jobs abroad or migration opportunities to use only government-approved and lawful channels.
