By Sumi Khan
Dhaka, May 31 (IANS): Rifatul Islam Hridoy, who was arrested in Bengaluru on charges of gang rape and torture of a Bangladeshi girl, had formed an international human trafficking ring along with some criminals from southwestern Bangladesh and several Indian states, police said here.
The criminal ring formed by the accused, also known as 'Tiktok Hridoy Babu', has its network in in India, as well as some other countries in the Middle East, including the United Arab Emirates.
They have contract deals with some hotels and supply girls as per the agreement, the police added.
The police also said that school and college students, as well as housewives were targeted and trafficked by the group.
A case has been registered under the Human Trafficking and Pornography Control Act at Hatirjheel police station of Dhaka.
Those involved are being contacted through the police headquarters to bring them back from India.
The arrested suspects have also been prosecuted in India.
But since they are Bangladeshis, efforts are being made to bring them back, Md Shahidullah, the Deputy commissioner (DC) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Tejgaon Division), told IANS on Sunday night.
"We're in touch with the police team of India to arrest others, who are involved with the trafficking racket, also to bring back the victim. "
Hridoy Babu, a resident of Hatirjheel area of the capital, studied up to eighth grade.
Later, he got involved with his friends in making TikTok videos.
A video that recently went viral on social media shows three to four young men and two girls undressing and physically and sexually abusing a young woman.
Police officials of Bangladesh and India investigated and identified the accused and the victims.
Six people, including two women, have already been arrested in Bengaluru. They have all been confirmed to be involved with international women trafficking rings.
The police added that it will continue its craackdown to arrest the other members of a transnational gang.
Till Monday, four were held by police following an investigation into the trafficking racket.
Besides, three victims, returned from India and weresent to police custody.
The victims fled the Indian state police and returned to Bangladesh recently, a relative said.