5 held over Saudi job lure, 51 passports seized: CID

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Police has arrested five individuals for allegedly defrauding jobseekers by promising 100 per cent guaranteed employment as drivers in Saudi Arabia for a monthly salary of SAR 2,500.

They were arrested from Sainik Club area of Dhaka’s Banani area on Sunday evening, confirmed through a press statement CID Superintendent of Police (SP) Jashim Uddin Khan. 

He said that the arrestees have been identified as Md Shamim, Md Ruhul Amin, Md Hridoy Hasan, Abu Rayhan, and Sani Miah. All five are named accused in the case.

During the operation conducted by the CID’s Trafficking in Human Beings (THB) unit, officials seized 51 Bangladeshi passports, three smartphones, and several ledgers from their possession, he added.

According to the case statement, an online advertisement offered driver positions in Saudi Arabia paying SAR 2,500 per month. When a victim contacted the provided phone number, he was directed to an office in the Sainik Club area of Banani.

There, the syndicate struck a deal worth Tk 3.70 lakh with the victim to secure a driving job at a Saudi firm, demanding full payment before departure. Subsequently, the group collected Tk 2.66 lakh from the victim in phases through bank transfers and cash.

However, instead of the promised driver visa, the victim was issued a Saudi tourist visa. Upon discovering the fraud, he filed a case with Banani Police Station.