The Bangladesh government has cancelled the registration certificate of Dream Home Travels for its alleged role in trafficking young men to the Russian warfront under the false promise of high-paying jobs, a move that has now been linked to at least one death in Ukraine.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism issued an official order cancelling the agency’s licence following a CID investigation into its operations. The agency, owned by MM Abul Hasan and located at H-86 Bir Uttam Ziaur Rahman Road in Banani, Dhaka, was registered under certificate No. 0012021.
However, authorities found that it engaged in large-scale fraud and forgery, recruiting vulnerable youths and sending them to conflict zones in Russia under the guise of overseas employment.
The ministry stated that the agency violated Section 5(1)(e) of the Bangladesh Travel Agency (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2013, and breached Rule 15 of the 2022 Rules governing ethical conduct. It also contravened Section 9(1)(b) by failing to comply with the conditions of its licence, a punishable offence under Section 11 of the Act.
As a result, the registration certificate has been revoked, and the agency has been ordered to return all official documents within 15 working days.
The case has taken a tragic turn with reports that Humayun, a man from Atrai, Naogaon, was killed in a drone attack in Ukraine on January 26, 2024.
He had travelled to Russia with his brother-in-law, Rahmat, both lured by promises of a monthly salary of Tk 200,000-250,000 from Dream Home Travels and Tours.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested Fabiha Zerin Tamanna, a partner in Dream Home Travels & Tours Limited, on February 6 from the Dhaka airport area. She was attempting to flee to Nepal.
According to CID’s Special Superintendent of Police Jasim Uddin Khan, Tamanna was a key member of a human trafficking ring that allegedly sent 10 Bangladeshi nationals to Russia under false job offers.
“The victims were promised lucrative jobs, but instead were pushed into dangerous military roles,” SP Khan said.