Police arrest nine suspects of human traffickers tied to Omi

Police have arrested nine accomplices of Tuhin Siddiqui Omi, a suspect in the attempted rape and murder case filed by actress Pori Moni, in connection with a human trafficking case.

The detainees have been identified as Omi’s close associate Jashim Uddin, 36, Omi’s driver Salauddin, 35, Omi’s brother-in-law Raqibul Islam Rana, 34, Md Musa, 26, Golap Hossain Bulbul, 34, Zakir Hossain, 34, Md Nazmul, 25, Md Alam, 35, Shahjahan Sarkar, 43.

The arrests made by the Crime Investigation Department were announced at a press conference at their offices in Dhaka’s Malibagh on Tuesday.

The CID seized 395 passports, 22 computer hard disks, and deeds of property, credit cards, unwritten stamps, chequebooks from banks, storage devices and mobile handsets from the detainees.

Omi, 34, is the owner of Ayat Arafat Travel Tour Service in Ashkona. He was also the director of a training centre, known as Singapore Training Centre.

Omi is in police custody in connection with a drug case.

A 22-year-old, named Shahin Alam, filed a case at the Dakhinkhan Police Station on Jun 17, accusing Omi and his associates of fraud under the guise of sending migrant workers abroad.

“The detainees lured Shahin Alam and hundreds like him with promises of obtaining high-paying jobs abroad and made a massive amount of money,” said CID Additional DIG Omar Faruk.

“These human trafficking rings send people to different countries but without securing the promised jobs. Millions of taka were also embezzled from people who were promised they would be sent to Dubai, Malaysia, Singapore and other countries.”

The victims’ families say those sent abroad have difficulty finding any work because they did not arrive in the country through proper channels, he added.

“This leaves many stranded and leading inhuman lives in foreign countries while Omi and his accomplices live in luxury in Bangladesh. Another 50 agents are involved in this ring.”

Asked whether Omi had a licence to send migrant workers abroad, CID official Faruk said that issue was still under investigation.

“But the allegations against him are considered human trafficking under the law. He is trying to disguise his trafficking in the name of sending people abroad,” he said.

On Jun 18, Omi’s business was raided after an individual named Abdul Quader filed a human trafficking case against him. Investigators seized three cars and 19 hard disks during the raid.

On Jun 15, they also seized 102 passports and Tk 17,000 from Omi’s office. A case has also been filed against Omi for taking so many passports.

On Jun 14, actress Pori Moni named former Uttara Club President Nasir U Mahmood and Omi as suspects in a case of attempted rape and murder at the Dhaka Boat Club on Jun 8.

Nasir and Omi were arrested from a house in Uttara. Detective police also seized alcohol and yaba from the residence and brought a narcotics case against the two over the matter.

Both are currently in police custody, undergoing interrogation in connection with the narcotics case.