Published : 12 Sep 2026, 01:57 AM
Updated : 16 Sep 2026, 11:49 AM
Police say that none of the 63 foreign nationals arrested on suspicion of engaging in online fraud in Chattogram had passports.
However, police believe that all of their passports have been deposited with one person and that person was also responsible for renting the building they were staying at.
Chattogram Metropolitan Police Additional Commissioner Faisal Ahmed made the statement at a press conference on Friday afternoon.
He said that the building from which the foreign nationsals were arrested in the Krishnachura Residential Area of Khulshi Police Station is owned by an expatriate who had rented the building out a month and a half ago.
At least 20 of the 63 arrested are women. Among them are 34 Laotian nationals, 21 Pakistanis, five Chinese, one Vietnamese, and one Nepalese.
On Thursday, 63 citizens of different countries were arrested on suspicion of online fraud in a joint operation by Khulshi police and the CMP Counter Terrorism Unit.
Electronic devices and equipment, including 134 mobile phones and 57 laptops were recovered from their possession. These were used for “fraud”, police say.
CMP official Faisal said at the press conference that the fraudsters have chosen Bangladesh due to extensive operations by law enforcers against online fraud in countries like China, Laos, and Cambodia. With both domestic and foreign help, the fraudsters are staying in various parts of the country, including Chattogram.
Of the arrestees, 62 have been arrested in a case under the Cyber Security Act.
Asked by the media whether the arrestees were involved in any type of online fraud and whether any specific charges have been filed against them, Faisal said: "Although no specific charges have been filed against them initially, the evidence seized from them shows that they have visited different types of websites.
"The arrestees have been caught in the initial stage and different aspects about them are under investigation. The seized devices will be subjected to forensic examination."
Asked when the foreign nationals had come to Bangladesh, he said no passports were found with any of the detainees.
All their passports are believed to be in the possession of one person. Once they are detained and the passports are seized, it will be possible to say exactly how and when they came to Bangladesh.
Police said the suspects had set up different types of “digital labs” in the flats in the building they had rented. Law enforcers are investigating whether the foreign nationals recently arrested in Dhaka and Cox's Bazar have any connection to this group.
