An illegal network known as the 'Body Contract Syndicate' has reportedly become active again at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The group allegedly facilitates illegal immigration by helping individuals with incomplete travel documents pass through immigration in exchange for 30,000 to 50,000 taka per person. The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has identified one of the key figures behind the operation as Abdul Bari Molla, an aerodrome operator at the airport.

According to CAAB, Molla secretly built a large human trafficking network involving immigration police and airline employees. A formal investigation has been launched against him, but sources claim he has attempted to influence the inquiry by pressuring administrative officials and using external contacts to obstruct the process. The syndicate reportedly sends people to Italy via countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Dubai, Qatar, Egypt, or Syria using Umrah visas and sea routes.

Following recent reports of over 20 Bangladeshi deaths in the Mediterranean Sea en route to Italy, the Prime Minister’s Office instructed relevant agencies to investigate. CAAB’s Additional Secretary S M Lablur Rahman stated that strict action will be taken based on the investigation findings and reaffirmed the agency’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption.