Dhaka, June 13 (IANS) Several intelligence sources and security analysts have raised concerns over the activities of Pakistan-linked networks operating within and beyond Bangladesh as the diplomatic engagement between Islamabad and Dhaka continues to intensify.
Among the most serious allegations are reports of organised human organ trafficking targeting vulnerable Bangladeshis, alongside broader concerns about potential security risks that could have serious repercussions in the region, a report has stated.
Citing highly placed intelligence sources, Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, editor of the Bangladeshi newspaper Blitz, alleged that organised human organ trafficking networks linked to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) have been luring Bangladeshi nationals with promises of employment, offering monthly wages of up to US$750.
"The source alleges that once the victims arrive in Lahore, they are transported directly to private clinics for what are described as routine medical checkups. According to these allegations, the victims are rendered unconscious, and one of their kidneys is illegally removed. Upon discovering the deception, victims are allegedly confined to isolated locations, including facilities described as safe houses, before eventually being repatriated to Bangladesh. Prior to their release, they are reportedly pressured into signing documents claiming that they voluntarily donated their kidneys to relatives," Choudhury wrote in 'Blitz.'
“It is learned that at least four trafficking networks are allegedly involved in recruiting Bangladeshi nationals. Based on information provided by Bangladesh’s diplomatic mission, Lahore Police reportedly identified one such network operating under the cover of a trading company named Zakir Traders (Private) Limited, allegedly owned by a Pakistani national named Zakir Hussain. The company reportedly presents itself as a provider of medical services for Bangladeshi patients,” he added.
According to Choudhury, allegations have also surfaced that some hospitals and private clinics in Lahore are involved in illegal organ transplant procedures, with trafficking networks allegedly securing fraudulent documentation and approvals to facilitate the operations.
He cited sources who alleged that trafficking victims are admitted to healthcare facilities under the cover of legitimate treatment, with key legal and ethical safeguards related to organ transplantation reportedly being bypassed.
Choudhury also referred to intelligence inputs pointing to what sources described as an even more “sinister operation” allegedly involving Pakistani criminal networks with the cooperation of the ISI. According to these claims, some Bangladeshi citizens traveling to Pakistan for tourism, employment, or other purposes are exposed to the HIV virus through deceptive means, including during medical examinations and pathological tests.
"The perpetrators are said to target primarily young men, who are subsequently allowed to return to Bangladesh after the alleged infection has occurred. Sources claim that this scheme is intended to facilitate the gradual spread of HIV among different segments of Bangladeshi society, including rural communities. However, these claims, however, require thorough investigation and independent verification,” he noted.
--IANS
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