1 week ago
China-Bound Bangladeshi Women Raise Trafficking Concerns Amid Visa Surge
More Bangladeshi women are traveling to China using family-reunion visas.
At least 4,226 women used these visas between 2020 and 2025.
The number increased sharply from 35 in 2022 to 1,721 in 2025.
Officials and anti-trafficking groups worry that criminals may be using this travel route.
Some women and families have alleged forced marriages or other forms of abuse.
One woman said she was drugged and threatened before being taken to China.
Brokers are also accused of using false documents and charging large sums of money.
The authorities do not yet know how many travelers may have been trafficked.
They are being urged to improve caution and oversight.
At least 4,226 Bangladeshi women traveled to China on Q1 family visas between 2020 and 2025.
Annual numbers rose from 35 in 2022 to 1,016 in 2023, 1,378 in 2024 and 1,721 in 2025.
Reported cases include alleged forced marriages, drugging, threats, abuse and trafficking involving women from disadvantaged families.
Investigators have documented allegations of false addresses, forged documents and fraudulent marriage paperwork by intermediaries.
The number of women who may have been trafficked remains unknown, prompting calls for greater caution by Bangladesh and China.
- Who
- Bangladeshi women, their families, alleged brokers, law-enforcement agencies and anti-trafficking organizations.
- What
- A sharp rise in Bangladeshi women traveling to China on Q1 family-reunion visas has raised concerns about possible trafficking.
- Where
- The migration route runs from Bangladesh to China, with reported cases linked to places including Dhaka, Rangamati, Khagrachari and Bagerhat.
- When
- The reported visa figures cover 2020 through 2025; the latest annual figure cited is for 2025.
- Why
- The concern is that criminal intermediaries may be exploiting legitimate marriage and migration channels through false promises, forged documents and fraudulent paperwork.
Key facts
- Visa travelers
- At least 4,226 Bangladeshi women traveled to China on Q1 family visas between 2020 and 2025.
- 2022 figure
- 35 women traveled on the cited Q1 family visas in 2022.
- 2023 figure
- The figure rose to 1,016 in 2023.
- 2024 figure
- The figure reached 1,378 in 2024.
- 2025 figure
- The figure reached 1,721 in 2025.
- Reported broker payments
- Intermediaries allegedly took or sought between Tk10 lakh and Tk20 lakh.
- Related drug raid
- In March, authorities reported recovering about 6.3 kilograms of ketamine from a makeshift laboratory in Uttara and arresting three Chinese nationals.
Quotes
Daily Sun report
A report by Bangladesh’s Daily Sun newspaper on visa trends and trafficking concerns
“Such cases reveal how legitimate marriage and migration channels can be manipulated by criminal intermediaries. Local brokers may approach families with promises of financial security, employment or a better future abroad.”
thehansindia.com
“At least 4,226 Bangladeshi women travelled to China on Q1 family visas between 2020 and 2025. The number rose from just 35 in 2022 to 1,016 in 2023, 1,378 in 2024 and 1,721 in 2025.”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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