| HEADLINE |
|
Kidney trafficking ring leader arrested in Kalai
Published : Thursday, 13 August, 2026 at 8:07 PM
Observer Correspondent
File Photo
Police have arrested an alleged ringleader of a kidney trafficking network in Kalai upazila of Joypurhat, after a man who was reportedly promised Tk 1 million for donating a kidney allegedly received only Tk 50,000.
The arrestee was identified as Abdus Sattar, 56, son of late Abdul Jabbar Khalifa of Bahuti village in Kalai, an area locally known as a hub of kidney trafficking. Police arrested him from the Pourapark area of Bogura Sadar on Wednesday night. Five cases have been filed against him with Kalai Police Station, including cases related to kidney trafficking. He was sent to jail through a court order on Thursday afternoon, police said.
According to the case statement, Montu Mia, a financially distressed resident of Gobindaganj in Gaibandha, was allegedly lured into selling a kidney for Tk 1 million. He was taken to Dhaka for medical tests and later a passport was arranged for him to travel to Nepal for a kidney transplant. In the first week of January this year, Montu was allegedly given Tk 50,000 in advance and subsequently taken to a hospital in Nepal, where one of his kidneys was surgically removed. He was brought back to Bangladesh several days later. After returning, Montu allegedly demanded the remaining Tk 950,000, but Sattar and other alleged brokers reportedly kept delaying payment.
Failing to receive the promised money, Montu filed a case on June 13 with the Joypurhat Judicial Magistrate Court against seven people, including Sattar, alleging their involvement in the kidney trafficking operation. Following a court order, the case was registered with Kalai Police Station the same day. One of the accused, Tareq Azam alias Babul Chowdhury, is allegedly known as a major financier of the kidney trafficking network and is reportedly based in Dhaka's Rayerbagh area, from where he allegedly recruits brokers in Joypurhat and lures impoverished people into selling kidneys at home and abroad.
The arrest has once again brought to the fore the longstanding activities of kidney trafficking networks in Kalai. Local residents allege that brokers target poor, indebted and financially vulnerable people and persuade them to sell their kidneys in exchange for money. They said the activities had slowed during periods of increased administrative monitoring but have allegedly become active again over the past year.
Several villages and neighbourhoods in Kalai have long been locally associated with kidney trafficking, including areas under Matrai, Udaypur and Ahmedabed unions, as well as parts of Kalai municipality, Jindarpur and Punat unions. Local residents allege that the network has expanded to several new areas in recent years.
Under Section 9 of the Human Organ Transplantation Act, 1999, the buying and selling of human organs is prohibited. Section 10(1) of the law provides for imprisonment and fines for buying or selling organs or assisting in such activities.
Dipendra Nath Singh, investigation officer of Kalai Police Station, said police launched a drive to arrest the accused after receiving the kidney-related fraud case. "With the help of technology, police conducted an operation on Wednesday night and arrested case-listed accused Abdus Sattar from the Pourapark area of Bogura Sadar," he said.
He added that Sattar was sent to jail through a court order on Thursday and that efforts to arrest the other accused are continuing.
-TITL/HIS
Loading...
Loading...
Also read
Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Advertisement: 41053012; 01793317829, 01550707291, E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Online: email: [email protected] 41053014; 01550707297 Advertisement: 01550707296
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Advertisement: 41053012; 01793317829, 01550707291, E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Online: email: [email protected] 41053014; 01550707297 Advertisement: 01550707296
