NIA busts transnational human trafficking network involving Assam, Tripura and Bangladesh

The traffickers lure Bangladeshi youths into India on the pretext of providing jobs. However, when the victims land in India, they find themselves in trouble. They are forced to engage in several illegal activities as well.

New Delhi:Investigation over human trafficking cases conducted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has revealed that Bangladeshi human traffickers have been trying to establish a transnational human trafficking network involving Assam, Tripura and Bangladesh.

The revelation was made in a charge sheet filed by India’s premier anti-terror agency against Muhammed Sahajalal Haldar and Muhammed Idris alias Erdish Khan for illegally crossing into India 10 years ago and pushing Bangladesh nationals into forced labour.

The NIA charge sheet said that Haldar and Idris, who had crossed into India through Benapole at the Indo-Bangladesh border, initially worked as waste segregators.

They were able to make fake Indian identity cards with the help of their linkmen, the NIA said. Interestingly, the duo later rented land at Seegehalli and Margondanahalli respectively in Karnataka, and started their own waste segregation units by constructing godowns and temporary sheds.

“They used to employ trafficked Bangladesh nationals and force them into hard labour on meagre wages under threat of arrest by the Indian police,” the charge sheet stated.

Both Haldar and Idris were arrested in February this year with the help of the Internal Security Division of Karnataka after being on the run for months.

The NIA had registered the case RC-01/2023/NIA/DLI on November 7, 2023, after receiving credible inputs about certain Karnataka-based entities working with facilitators and traffickers in Assam, Tripura and Bangladesh to establish a transnational human trafficking network.

The traffickers use the Assam and Tripura corridor to enter into India, following the fact that a large portion of the corridor is still porus.

Nationwide searches by NIA had led to the arrest of several accused in the case and the agency had earlier charge sheeted 12 Bangladeshi nationals under IPC, Foreigners Act and Passport (Entry into India) Act.

As part of the elaborate human trafficking network, Bangladeshi nationals were being smuggled into India through the Indo-Bangladesh border on the false promise of secure jobs with valid Indian identity documents, the NIA investigation revealed. “Taking the advantage of the porus border, the traffickers lured victims into India on the pretext of giving jobs and engaging them in forced labour,” the NIA said.