For years, Bangladeshi migrant workers in Saudi Arabia were viewed as symbols of hard work and sacrifice – men and women who left their homeland to support their families back home. But behind this familiar narrative, a far darker and more shocking reality has been steadily taking shape.

Although the mainstream media has yet to report on the terrifying criminal networks run by Bangladeshi expatriates in Saudi Arabia, information circulating on social media reveals that Bangladeshis living there have formed abduction networks modeled after Somali pirates. In addition, some Bangladeshi expats are almost openly running illegal brothels and sex rackets inside the conservative Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. What our investigation has uncovered is one of the most disturbing exposés ever uncovered involving Bangladeshi expatriates abroad.

Additionally, according to our investigation – amidst last year’s regime change in Bangladesh, the rise of radical Islamists, and growing hostility toward India, a group named “Allah’s Brigade” has emerged in Saudi Arabia and several other Middle Eastern countries. Led by the militant organization Ansar al-Islam, this network consists of stranded Pakistanis and Rohingyas. According to intelligence sources, their primary targets will be Indian citizens working across Middle Eastern nations—especially non-Muslim Indians.

Bangladeshi kidnapping syndicates terrorize migrants in Saudi Arabia

Our investigations reveal that some Bangladeshi expatriates have formed organized kidnapping networks modeled after Somali pirates, abducting fellow migrants, torturing them, and extorting hefty ransoms through BKash, Nagad, and other cash-wallet systems. Some of these kidnapping rackets are even accepting payments through bank deposits in Bangladesh.

Over the past eleven months, more than 100 Bangladeshi migrants have fallen victim to these gangs. Those unable to pay ransom have been murdered in cold blood. At least seven Bangladeshi migrants working in Saudi Arabia have already been killed by these criminal groups.

Sources confirm that Saudi police have arrested several Bangladeshi kidnappers. Shockingly, however, influential and wealthy Bangladeshi expatriates in Saudi Arabia intervene to secure their release, providing shelter and protection. They even pressure victims’ families in Bangladesh to file false statements claiming that no kidnapping took place.

While isolated kidnapping incidents occurred in the past, the recent surge is unprecedented. Saudi intelligence agencies are reportedly deeply alarmed by the scale and brutality of these crimes.

In Riyadh’s Bangladeshi-populated neighborhoods, reports of kidnapping, extortion, robbery, and violent assaults have skyrocketed.

One example came on January 11, when a gang abducted a Bangladeshi man named Rasel from Riyadh. He was brutally tortured, and the kidnappers demanded Tk 35 lakh as ransom. His family complied, depositing the money in the bank account provided by the gang. Police later arrested three culprits -Akram (33), Ismail Hossain (34), and Mojib Rahman (26).

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) also arrested another suspect, Ziaur Rahman (42), who confessed to receiving Tk 5 lakh as his share of the ransom.

CID of Bangladesh Police arrested Ziaur Rahman for his role in kidnapping businessman Md. Russell and stealing Tk 3.5 million in Saudi Arabia.

On April 19, Bangladeshi criminals stormed the Riyadh residence of businessman Abbas Uddin, severely injuring him and his son Shahriar before looting the home.

A similar incident involved expatriate taxi driver Nur Alam Sobuj, abducted, beaten, and extorted of more than Tk 10 lakh through bKash and other transfers.

In March, expatriate Tarikul Islam was kidnapped and held in Saudi Arabia until his family paid Tk 10.25 lakh. Multiple arrests followed in Bangladesh.

On May 29, another victim, Arif Hossain (30) from Lakshmipur, was kidnapped along with his private car. His captors repeatedly broadcasted live video through the IMO app, showing him being tortured while demanding Tk 15 lakh in ransom.

On May 29, Arif Hossain (30) was in the Manfua area of Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia

Social media pages, particularly “???? ???? ??? ??????? ?????????” (We Bangladeshi Expats in Saudi Arabia), regularly expose these horrifying incidents, posting photos and videos of kidnappers, missing persons, and law enforcement arrests. 

Bangladeshi-run sex trafficking and brothels in the Kingdom

Another criminal wing run by Bangladeshi expatriates involves illegal brothels operating even within the highly conservative Saudi Kingdom.

Female migrant workers are lured with promises of high-paying jobs and then trafficked into secret brothels, where they are forced to serve 10–12 customers per day, effectively turned into sex slaves.

Saudi authorities recently raided two such brothels in the Al-Manakh district, arresting 17 individuals, including seven Bangladeshis. Two Bangladeshi ringleaders had reportedly created an organized prostitution network by manipulating and coercing domestic workers.

Riyadh police spokesperson Colonel Shaker Al-Tuwaijri confirmed the arrests, stating that the traffickers were involved in systematically luring and exploiting vulnerable women.

Sources indicate that similar Bangladeshi-run brothels exist not only in Saudi Arabia but across several Middle Eastern countries.

The new mission of “Allah’s Brigade” – Indian expatriates as targets

After Muhammad Yunus seized power in Bangladesh last year through a bloody jihadist uprising, radical Islamist and jihadist groups began resurfacing across the country. Violent activities became widespread. Hindus, Christians, and the Ahmadiyya community were thrown into waves of horrific violence. The Yunus administration released dangerous militants from prison and even allowed some to escape. As a result, Al-Qaeda-linked Ansar al-Islam and several other extremist groups began operating openly across Bangladesh.

Simultaneously, criminal networks supported by Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI – which include stranded Pakistanis and Rohingyas – expanded their operations. According to one source, in April of this year, stranded Pakistanis and Rohingyas in Saudi Arabia formed a new gang called “Allah’s Brigade”. Their main targets are Indian expatriates in the Middle East. ISI has already supplied weapons to members of this group, who are also being used for drug distribution.

It has also been learned that several members of “Allah’s Brigade” have established connections with Iranian intelligence, and they have been tasked with carrying out suicide attacks in various parts of Saudi Arabia. Pakistani nationals are also reportedly part of these networks.

Sources claim the group has approximately 50 members, divided into groups of ten. They are already conducting reconnaissance on Indian targets in specific areas of Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries. Their violent operations are expected to begin within weeks.

The revelations uncovered by Blitz paint a chilling portrait of how criminality, jihadist extremism, and transnational networks are converging within expatriate communities in Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East. From ruthless Bangladeshi kidnapping gangs to sex trafficking rings, and now the emergence of a Pakistan- and Rohingya-led militant outfit targeting Indians, these developments pose grave dangers not only to individual migrants but also to the security landscape of the region. As Saudi authorities intensify crackdowns, Bangladesh must confront this crisis with urgency, transparency, and international cooperation before these criminal enterprises transform into a full-fledged regional threat.

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The post Bombshell exposé: Blitz investigates notorious crime rackets run by Bangladeshi expats in Saudi Arabia appeared first on BLiTZ.

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Source: Weekly Blitz :: Writings