Haji Kamal trafficked at least two Bangladeshis killed in Libya: investigators

Investigators looking into the massacre of 26 Bangladeshis in Libya say Haji Kamal, arrested for his suspected ties with the victims, trafficked at least two of those who lost their lives in the revenge killing last week.

Kamal Uddin, alias Haji Kamal, 55, was apprehended from Dhaka’s Shahjadpur at dawn on Monday following information received from Libya, RAB-3 deputy chief Maj Rahat Khan Harun told bdnews24.com.

“Kamal was mainly a tiles contractor. He is connected to many labours through that. He would promise to send these labours to Europe and then smuggle them abroad after taking money. In this way, he has sent at least 400 people to Libya.”

On May 28, the family of a Libyan people trafficker killed 26 Bangladeshis and four African migrants in to avenge his death in the city of Mizda 180 kilometres south of Tripoli in Libya.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said in a video message that there were 38 Bangladeshi migrants at the site of the massacre.

Eleven injured survivors were taken to a hospital in Zintan and five of the injured were in critical condition, the foreign minister said.

The family of the dead Bangladeshis filed three cases in Madaripur Sadar and Rajoir Police Station and another at Kishoreganj’s Bhairab Police Station against the local touts responsible for sending people abroad.

Meanwhile, the police have arrested two, including a woman, in the cases filed in Madaripur – Julhas Sardar from Rajoir Upazila and Deena Begum from Madaripur Sadar Upazila.

They said the former had shown symptoms of coronavirus infection and was kept in isolation at Madaripur Sadar Hospital.

A shadow investigation by the RAB revealed that a person named Haji Kamal from Dhaka frequently sent people to Libya, and based on this information the elite force detained Kamal in a drive at Shahjadpur.

“At least two of those who died in Libya were sent by this Haji Kamal,” said RAB-3’s Maj Harun and added that during the arrest several passports were seized from Kamal who has been involved in human trafficking for almost 10 years.

Trafficking activities are conducted through syndicates of which Kamal is a prominent figure. RAB is on the hunt for other members of this syndicate, Maj Harun has said.