Foreign nationals living illegally in different parts of the country, including the capital, are becoming involved in crimes ranging from counterfeit currency trading and online fraud to drug trafficking.
Police regularly receive complaints against them and conduct raids in areas such as Uttara, Gulshan and Banani. They are also active in tourist destinations, while investigations into the mysterious deaths of several foreigners have revealed startling information.
Many foreign nationals have been arrested during police operations. Some have returned to criminal activities after securing bail, while others are serving jail terms. Some remain in prison even after completing their sentences because their countries have shown no interest in repatriating them.
While African nationals were previously accused of involvement in various crimes, complaints against Chinese nationals have increased recently. Many of them are staying in Bangladesh illegally.
Crime experts say people often tend to trust foreigners easily, allowing some to exploit the opportunity for fraud, online gambling, counterfeit currency and dollar trading.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Detective Branch (DB) Chief Additional Police Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam told TIMES, “Several foreign nationals involved in online gambling and other crimes have been arrested and sent to jail.”
According to Special Branch data, around 34,000 illegal foreign nationals are staying in Bangladesh. Nearly 400 of them are currently in jail.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police Additional Police Commissioner (Crime and Operations) Mohammad Osman Gani said he had no information regarding illegal foreign nationals.
Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) Director General Md Hasan Maruf said, “Many foreign nationals are involved in drug trafficking. They enter Bangladesh on tourist visas and build networks for illegal activities.”
A criminal group producing a powder-type drug similar to cocaine by setting up a chemical laboratory in a residential house in Uttara was recently uncovered. Three Chinese nationals were arrested and 6,300kg of ketamine was seized.
Several police officials said people from Africa, South Asia and other regions enter Bangladesh for different purposes. Some come as tourists, some as students and others on business visas. However, many remain in the country after their visas expire and later become involved with criminal networks.
Police data shows foreign nationals have been linked to various crimes, including drug trafficking, counterfeit dollar trading, credit card fraud, online casino operations and human trafficking.
The presence of Chinese nationals in Dhaka’s Uttara area has become a growing concern.
Residents have reported an increase in late-night gatherings at bars and disorderly behaviour in residential areas. Questions have also been raised over hundreds of Chinese nationals in Uttara who are engaged in suspicious video-making and blogging activities.
Many of them are living in rented houses and running businesses despite their visas having expired.
On 5 September, a Chinese national died at Bengal Hotel on Road 12 in Sector 3. Several other Chinese nationals were staying at the hotel. On the same day, another Chinese national’s body was recovered from Merino Hotel in Sector 4.
Uttara West Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Khalid Mansur said police were investigating when and why the two Chinese nationals came to Dhaka.
Several DB officials said some foreign nationals intentionally destroy their passports after entering Bangladesh, making it difficult to identify their actual identities. They later rent houses or stay in hotels in upscale areas of the capital and become involved in crimes, often with the help of local criminal groups.
Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University Department of Criminology and Police Science Chairman Professor Mohammad Omar Faruk said, “Crimes are spreading through foreign nationals due to a lack of monitoring of their activities in the country.”
Meanwhile, police arrested six people, including Taiwanese and Chinese nationals, during a raid on a resort in Cox’s Bazar and recovered 1,938 iPhones.
Police also found information that four more Chinese nationals had fled.
The investigation found that more than 300 Chinese and Taiwanese nationals had stayed at four hotels and houses in Cox’s Bazar and surrounding areas since March. Hotel staff became suspicious of their movements and activities, prompting police to investigate. Most of them were involved in fraud and other crimes.
According to police data, at least 53 Chinese nationals were arrested in Dhaka for involvement in various crimes between August 2024 and 10 August this year. Of them, 24 were arrested this year.
Law enforcement agencies are searching for several more Chinese nationals accused in 20 cases, including murder cases.
As of 9 September, a total of 393 foreign nationals were detained in prisons across Bangladesh. They are accused of crimes including business-related fraud, luring people with promises of sending them abroad, fake lottery scams, ATM fraud and drug trafficking.
Some are also accused of entering Bangladesh illegally by crossing the border.
According to Prison Directorate sources, 167 foreign prisoners have completed their sentences but remain in jail as “released prisoners” because their repatriation process has not been completed.
Additional Inspector General of Prisons Mohammad Mostafa Kamal told TIMES, “The home ministry has been informed about foreign prisoners whose sentences have ended through the foreign ministry. The ministry has contacted the respective embassies. Many of these prisoners are accused of illegal entry.”
He said a proposal had been submitted to the home ministry to keep foreign prisoners who have completed their sentences in safe homes through the Ministry of Social Welfare. However, no response has yet been received.
