Abdul Gani wanted to send his nephew abroad after watching Facebook videos of European streets, overseas jobs and migrant life. In 2024, he came across Mazharul Islam Apu on the platform and handed over migration files of his nephew and six others.
A total of Tk12.50 lakh was paid, but months later, none of the applicants received any update about their departure.
“Seeing Apu’s religious attire, I never had any doubts. Rather, I moved forward trusting his words,” Abdul Gani told TIMES of Bangladesh.
After communication with Apu stopped, Abdul Gani visited his house in Chandpur and recovered some passports. He was told the remaining applicants would be sent to Turkey, but later failed to contact Apu.
Apu, a Chandpur resident, allegedly built credibility through a combination of religious identity, social media presence and claims of helping people secure overseas jobs.
He is associated online with an organisation called “Baba Bhuyapuri”, which claims to expose fake spiritual leaders. He also runs Gateway Tours & Multi Consultancy, a visa consultancy firm, which claims to help aspiring migrant workers secure overseas employment.
More than 90 people have allegedly lost money after approaching him for overseas employment, according to victims.
Agents and victims caught in alleged network
The victims reached Apu through different channels — migrant contacts, personal recommendations and Facebook posts.
Motin Mahmud learned about Apu through a friend in Poland. He initially paid Tk65,000 and submitted his passport for a Serbia-bound migration process. Later, after introducing another applicant, he paid an additional Tk1.20 lakh.
When no progress was made, Motin said Apu repeatedly gave excuses. At one point, Apu returned Tk1 lakh but kept the remaining amount as “fees”.
Sajib Chandra Sutrodhar, who came to Apu through Motin, also paid Tk1.85 lakh and alleged that he was cheated.
An investigation by TIMES found that at least four agents worked on behalf of Apu. Victims said the agents’ religious appearance, including long beards and panjabis, helped create trust.
However, the agents themselves later faced pressure from victims seeking refunds. One agent from Brahmanbaria allegedly sold ancestral property to repay money, while several others have avoided their homes due to repayment pressure.
Consultancy office questioned
Jamal Hossain, a madrasa teacher from Sylhet, came in contact with Apu after reading his Facebook posts. Initially, he submitted documents for his younger brother’s migration to Serbia and later provided files of several others.
After submitting six files, Jamal was offered an agency role and began sending applicants to Apu. Later, he suspected that he too had been deceived. Despite requesting a refund, he said the money was never returned.
The website of Gateway Tours & Multi Consultancy claims to provide visa services and updates on visa status. It lists offices in Dhaka and Chandpur, but no visible activities of the organisation were found at either address.
A visit to the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) also found no registration under the name Gateway.
Md Nazmul Islam Sarker, director of BMET’s Monitoring and Enforcement Wing, told TIMES that he was not authorised to comment on fraud allegations and that the director general would respond.
Another BMET official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said manpower export irregularities were addressed through operations but limited manpower restricted wider action.
Under Section 25 of the Human Trafficking Prevention and Suppression Act 2026, making false promises or advertisements regarding overseas employment, travel or residency is punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment and a minimum fine of Tk1 lakh.
When contacted by phone for comments, Apu stopped responding after learning that the caller was a journalist.
