Phnom Penh/Dhaka, Jun 18: A total of 221 Bangladeshi nationals have been repatriated from Cambodia after being rescued from scam centres where they were forced into cyber fraud operations. Officials confirmed that the victims were lured abroad with promises of legitimate jobs but ended up trapped in exploitative conditions, including confinement and coercion to commit online scams.
The repatriation was coordinated by Bangladeshi authorities in collaboration with Cambodian officials, marking one of the largest rescue operations of its kind. Many of the victims reported severe abuse, including confiscation of passports and threats of violence, before being freed and flown back home.
The incident has raised serious concerns over migration oversight and the growing menace of transnational cybercrime syndicates. Authorities in Bangladesh have pledged stricter monitoring of overseas recruitment agencies and enhanced cooperation with international partners to prevent such exploitation in the future.
Human rights groups have urged stronger safeguards for migrant workers, stressing that fraudulent job offers and trafficking networks continue to pose grave risks to vulnerable populations seeking employment abroad.
