Fooled by a gang, a widow in Chuadanga got her daughter married to a Chinese national named Cui Po Wei on July 1 last year, hoping that she would rise out of poverty.

“We are in danger. Please save us!”

Many Bangladeshi sex workers, once victims themselves, now serve as brothel managers, perpetuating the vicious cycle. They employ fellow countrywomen, who later become traffickers responsible for bringing new girls from Bangladesh into the clutches of these brothels.

Two hours away from Jhenaidah’s Indo-Bangla border, the district of Narail has gained a notoriety for being one of the biggest sources of girls headed for Mumbai.

Adjacent to the border in Narail district’s Maheshpur upazila, a hidden racket facilitating the illegal crossing of people thrives, operated by individuals known locally as “Dhurs” or carriers.

Every year, many girls are trafficked out of Bangladesh with the promise of a better life abroad, only to end up in the underbelly of Indian cities. The Daily Star takes a look into this dark world

Only one person was convicted in a human trafficking case in Bangladesh in 2020, according to a UN report highlighting the concern over low convictions of the crime.

The Attorney General of Kuwait has decided to imprison Bangladeshi MP Mohammad Shahid Islam Papul -- accused in money laundering, human trafficking, visa trading and bribery -- for 21 days in the central prison, said Arab Times.

Prosecutions over human trafficking related cases in the country have been reducing each year and came down alarmingly last year mainly because of faulty case filings, inappropriate victim identification and lack of allegations raised by victims.