A total of 583 Bangladeshi nationals were rescued from cyber scam compounds in Cambodia during June, following operations by Cambodian law enforcement agencies. According to BRAC Migration Program, 109 of the victims returned to Bangladesh on a Thai Airways flight last Tuesday night, while 362 others came back over the previous four days. The Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) reported that 15,921 Bangladeshis had gone to Cambodia for employment in the past one and a half years.

Victims said many Bangladeshis remain trapped in Cambodia, living in dire conditions after being deceived with promises of high-paying jobs. One victim from Lakshmipur described paying 530,000 taka to recruiters for a computer operator job, only to be sold to a cyber scam compound upon arrival. Another said they were forced to commit online fraud targeting foreigners and were tortured if they failed to meet targets.

Shariful Hasan of BRAC’s Migration Program said the rescues highlight the growing link between cyber scams and human trafficking, urging authorities to identify and prosecute the traffickers and agencies involved.