53 Chinese nationals held over murder, fraud
At least 53 Chinese nationals have been arrested in Bangladesh over various criminal offences in the past year, including murder, fraud and online gambling, according to police.
Police said some Chinese nationals have allegedly become involved in crimes in collaboration with Bangladeshi nationals, including murder and human trafficking.
The issue has drawn particular attention in Uttara, where police estimate that at least 10,000 Chinese nationals currently live.
Police officials said the capital’s Uttara area has increasingly become a preferred location for foreign nationals allegedly involved in criminal activities because of its proximity to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, the presence of numerous garment factories and buying houses, and the availability of rental accommodation.
According to police data, 53 Chinese nationals were arrested in connection with different criminal cases between August 2024 and August 10 this year. Police are also searching for other Chinese nationals accused in at least 20 cases, including murder.
In a recent operation, police raided a hotel in Cox’s Bazar and arrested six Chinese nationals allegedly involved in online gambling and fraud. Officers seized 1,938 iPhones, 40 laptops and other equipment from the hotel.
In another case this year, police rescued a young woman from a house in Uttara and arrested one Bangladeshi and two Chinese nationals on allegations of confining her with the intention of trafficking her.
Earlier, the body of a Chinese national, Wang Bo, was recovered from a house in Uttara. Investigators later found that the alleged killers had travelled from China over an old dispute, murdered him and fled the country, according to police.
Bangladeshi women at risk of trafficking
Police and human rights workers have also raised concerns over Bangladeshi women travelling to China on family and marriage visas and subsequently becoming victims of trafficking.
According to Special Branch (SB) data, 4,226 Bangladeshi women travelled to China on family and marriage visas over the past five years.
Police said there has been a sharp increase in the use of Q-1 visas since 2020.
Human rights workers say some women are being lured to China through marriage arrangements and subsequently trafficked by international criminal networks.
Tariqul Islam, Country Director of Justice and Care Bangladesh, said traffickers often work through people involved in arranging marriages.
“Traffickers recruit people who work on arranging marriages. They invest money, and the marriage takes place. In many cases, the documents are not genuine. After marrying, they take some of the girls away with them,” he said.
Police also suspect that some local residents facilitate such activities by renting houses to foreign nationals without properly verifying their identities and activities. As a result, police say, many incidents remain outside their immediate knowledge.
Tarek Beg, Deputy Commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Uttara Division, said police had uncovered several cases involving alleged trafficking through marriage arrangements.
“We have uncovered several such cases. We are working on the issue of women being trafficked in the name of marriage, and some victims have been rescued,” he said.
Police said they are continuing investigations into the involvement of Chinese nationals in criminal activities and are searching for suspects wanted in several cases.
