News Desk: Police detained 18 people from an abandoned house in Lama upazila of Bandarban early today as they gathered there with an intention to go to Malaysia illegally.
An alleged human trafficker, Abul Hossain, was arrested from the house at Kumari village.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of police raided an abandoned house at a rubber garden at the village around 12:30am and captured the 18 fortune seekers.
The victims are from different parts of Sylhet, Noakhali, Feni, Comilla and Barisal districts.
The law enforcers also took Abul Hossain, caretaker of the garden, into custody on charges of his involvement with trafficking.
Quoting the victims, police said a gang of human traffickers had brought them there a few days ago promising to send them to Malaysia.
A case was filed with Lama Police Station in this connection.