Serious allegations have surfaced against a man named Sazzadur Rahman Sazzad, who is accused of operating an alleged criminal network involving human trafficking, drug dealing, unlawful confinement and torture at several residential hotels in the Jatrabari area of the capital.
Local residents and several alleged victims claim that Sazzad had established considerable influence over a number of residential hotels in Jatrabari by projecting himself as a powerful person and using an alleged identity as a member of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch (DB).
According to local sources, Sazzad allegedly introduced himself as a DB official to exert influence and control over the management of several residential hotels in the area. He is also accused of being involved in alleged illegal financial transactions and other criminal activities conducted through the hotels.
An inquiry into the allegations found claims of Sazzad’s direct involvement in the management and ownership of several residential hotels, including Hotel Projapoti, Hotel Prime, Hotel Swagata, Hotel Rongdhonu, Hotel Paradise, Hotel Heaven, Hotel Palace, Hotel Moon, Hotel Roseview and Face Inn.
Several alleged victims have claimed that vulnerable women were lured with promises of jobs or other opportunities and subsequently confined and forced into immoral activities at some of these hotels.
One alleged female victim from Jatrabari said she met Sazzad while looking for work at a garment factory due to financial hardship in her family. She alleged that she was later taken to a residential hotel in Jatrabari under false pretences and kept there for nearly three months.
According to her account, she was subjected to physical and mental abuse during her confinement. She eventually managed to escape when she found an opportunity and later travelled to Saudi Arabia, where she sought safety and a new life.
Another alleged victim, identified as Selim, claimed that his association with Sazzad left his life in serious turmoil. He said that approximately a year ago, he went to Jatrabari Police Station with the intention of taking legal action against Sazzad.
However, Selim alleged that before he could formally file a complaint, information about his visit to the police station was conveyed to Sazzad. That same night, he claimed, he was abducted from the fish market area and taken to an undisclosed location.
Selim further alleged that he was held for three days, deprived of food and subjected to physical abuse.
Local residents also claim that Sazzad was not acting alone. They have alleged that several influential individuals, including Al-Amin, Taramia and Gani, were involved behind the scenes in the alleged illegal activities surrounding a number of residential hotels in Jatrabari.
According to the allegations, the group had been operating various illegal activities in the area for a considerable period and had built an extensive network involving substantial financial transactions.
There have also been allegations that some of the hotels regularly paid large amounts of money as so-called “monthly payments” to local police to avoid scrutiny or obtain unlawful advantages. However, law-enforcement authorities have denied the allegations and stressed the need for an independent investigation into the claims.
Legal experts say that if the allegations are established through a proper investigation, those responsible could face legal action under the relevant laws of Bangladesh. They noted that falsely representing oneself as a government official may constitute an offence under Section 170 of the Penal Code. Allegations involving human trafficking, unlawful confinement, intimidation and organised criminal activities may also attract provisions of the relevant laws.
Allegations of unlawful detention and physical assault could likewise be subject to prosecution under applicable provisions of the Penal Code, depending on the findings of an investigation.
Local residents and alleged victims have called for an impartial investigation and demanded legal action against those found responsible. They believe that examining the trade licences, ownership and management records of the residential hotels, CCTV footage and financial transaction records could help establish the facts behind the allegations.
As of the time of publication, no statement had been obtained from Sazzadur Rahman Sazzad or the other individuals named in the allegations. The actual facts and the validity of the allegations will ultimately depend on a proper and independent investigation by the relevant law-enforcement authorities.