Gazi Anowar :
An alleged syndicate of seven individuals from Bangladesh and India is accused of exploiting Bangladeshi migrant workers through a fraudulent medical examination scheme, reportedly amassing around TK 2,500 crore (USD 230 million) annually.
Reports suggest that the syndicate administers health screenings for millions of aspiring migrant workers, including many who are medically unfit, using the process as a pretext to extract money from vulnerable citizens seeking employment in the Middle East.
While Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia recruit between 500,000 to 700,000 Bangladeshi workers each year, the syndicate reportedly conducts health tests for at least 2.5 million people, luring hopeful migrants with false promises of job visas.
In addition to profiting from mandatory health checks, the syndicate is allegedly involved in bribing officials from the Gulf Health Council to secure unnecessary approvals for new medical centres in Bangladesh, with each centre reportedly charged between $200,000 and $300,000 as a bribe.
These funds are said to be transferred abroad through informal channels, or “hundi,” raising further concerns around money laundering.
Bangladesh sends approximately 800,000 to 1 million workers overseas annually, mostly to the Middle East. Since 1999, Gulf Health Council-approved medical centres have conducted mandatory health checks for workers heading to the Gulf.
Initially, only 26 medical centres were approved in Bangladesh, but this number has surged to 133, compared to far fewer in populous countries like India (122) and Pakistan (68). Sources allege that this growth in Bangladesh is part of a deliberate effort to exploit low-income citizens seeking employment abroad.
The syndicate is reportedly backed by powerful figures and political patrons. In Bangladesh, the scheme was originally led by former GAMCA (Gulf Approved Medical Centre Association) President Biswas Jahangir Alam, ex-Vice President Nazrul Islam, and Saudi-based member Z.U. Said, who is now reportedly imprisoned.
This group is said to collaborate with influential members of India’s GAMCA network, including Shivamkar Balraj Misra and Rajesh Tiwari, to dominate the health check market, securing approvals and silencing opposition through Gulf Health Council connections.
In 2022, the syndicate allegedly facilitated approvals for nearly 70 new medical centres, many registered under false names and owned directly by syndicate members. Currently, around 100 of the 133 centres in Bangladesh are believed to be under the syndicate’s control, with more applications expected in December in exchange for substantial bribes.
Four Indian syndicate members also reportedly own 22 unlicensed medical centres in Bangladesh. When the Bangladesh Association of Gulf Medical Centres (BAGMC) opposed these unauthorised centres, the syndicate is alleged to have used its influence to obtain a Gulf Health Council order suspending BAGMC’s activities.
Workers attending syndicate-controlled centres report paying up to BDT 10,000 for screenings, only to receive “fit” health reports despite underlying health issues, leading to deportations upon further inspection by Saudi authorities. One worker lamented, “We paid just for the medical test, but ended up losing everything.”
Victims are calling for immediate action against the syndicate and a moratorium on new medical centre approvals until investigations are complete. Despite attempts to reach Gulf Medical Centre representatives and those accused, no comments were available.
