Fake visa ring exploits dreams, steals millions

A human trafficking racket provided at least 250 fake visas of European countries to fortune seekers at different times by taking Tk16-18 lakh from each, sources at the law enforcement agencies have said.

A number of aspiring immigrants with fake visas were held at immigration of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in Dhaka while some others were held at the immigrations of the destination countries and were sent back home.

The rest were caught and sent to jails of the destination countries, said sources.

Some dishonest employees of the Biman Bangladesh Airlines are also involved in the racket providing fake visas, said the law enforcement agencies.

A team of the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) with the help of the members of Armed Police Battalion arrested two members of the racket providing fake visas and three aspiring immigrants from HSIA on Wednesday, Additional Commissioner (DB) of the DMP Harunur Rashid told reporters at his office on Thursday.

The arrestees were Asaduzzaman, Kabir Hossain, Jane Alam, Sabbir Mia and Samrat Sawdagar.

Of them, Asaduzzaman is a security staff member of the Biman Bangladesh Airlines while Kabir is the booking assistant of Kuwait Airlines.

Three passports with fake visas of France, four NIDs and some other things were seized from them.

The passengers with fake visas said each of them paid Tk16-18 lakh to the trafficking gang.

Additional Commissioner Harun said, “The racket may have connections with senior officers, station managers and supervisors of the Biman as they obtained boarding passes and tickets easily. The DB will look into the matter and take legal steps.”