Efforts to rescue individuals trapped in scam centres along the Thailand-Myanmar border remain ongoing, with the Bangladesh Embassy in Bangkok pledging full support to those freed.
Speaking on Saturday (22 February), Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Thailand, Faiyaz Murshid Kazi, confirmed that five individuals had been released, though the embassy had official confirmation of only four.
“Two have already been repatriated, while the remaining two are still in Myanmar. Once verification procedures are complete, they too will be sent home,” he stated, adding that the Bangladesh Embassy in Myanmar is in regular communication to facilitate the process.
“We are expediting repatriation as swiftly as possible. In the case of the first two victims, we contacted their families and advised them to arrange tickets for immediate return, as the government repatriation process takes longer. The families cooperated, and we facilitated their swift return,” Kazi explained.
Scam call centres operating along the Thailand-Myanmar border have been a growing concern, with authorities frequently conducting rescue operations.
However, not all those freed are granted entry into Thailand.
Meanwhile, the Myanmar-based Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) has cited a lack of funds as a barrier to immediate repatriation for all victims.
Myanmar’s military government estimates that approximately 10,000 abducted individuals may be rescued from these scam operations. To date, over 1,000 victims from various countries have been freed.
These centres utilise artificial intelligence to impersonate women online, luring internet users into financial fraud.
Once victims disclose banking details or agree to investment proposals, their funds are siphoned off.
The exact number of Bangladeshis trapped in these centres remains unclear, with many becoming entrenched in the criminal networks over time. Some, enticed by lucrative earnings, become complicit in the scams and are unable—or unwilling—to return.
Others, deemed highly profitable to the scam operations, are not easily released by their captors.
The majority of those freed so far are Chinese nationals, followed by individuals from Ethiopia and other African nations.
Indian and South Asian nationals also make up a significant portion of the rescued individuals.
