BANGLADESH police have asked Malaysian authorities to arrest and extradite two businessmen as part of an investigation into allegations of money laundering, extortion, and migrant worker trafficking, reported Bloomberg News.
The two men, Aminul Islam and Ruhul Amin are alleged to have played a vital role in a system that “fraudulently extorted money from the victims”.
According to a letter dated Oct 24, from Bangladesh’s Interpol branch, sent to its Malaysian counterparts, the victims were allegedly exposed to physical and mental torture.
Bloomberg confirmed the contents of the letter with Bangladesh’s Interpol branch and a senior Bangladeshi government official.
Aminul, who's commonly known as Amin, was born in Bangladesh and gained Malaysian citizenship more than a decade ago.
His lawyer said they have not received any information about the letter and categorically denied the allegations raised in it.
Bangladesh police also asked that Malaysia temporarily halt its use of the software provided by Bestinet Sdn, a closely held company that Aminul founded.
Malaysian officials have used this software to process and monitor hundreds of thousands of migrant workers from Bangladesh and other countries since at least 2018.
A Bestinet representative said their company isn't aware of the letter from Bangladesh's police, including the request that Malaysian authorities stop using Bestinet software, and declined to comment.
Bloomberg News also sought comment from Ruhul, who's Bangladeshi, by phone and by contacting Catharsis International, a Dhaka-based recruitment firm of which he is a proprietor.
A representative for Catharsis said by email that Ruhul refuted any allegations and has "always been operating legally, legitimately and ethically."
Police Inspector Ashiqur Rahman, who is part of Bangladesh's Interpol branch, said the men were last sighted in Kuala Lumpur.
He said that Malaysian authorities responded to the letter by requesting the Bangladesh police submit a formal extradition request. Those documents are currently being prepared, he said.
The requests for arrest are part of a broader investigation into middlemen and lawmakers involved in sending workers from Bangladesh to Malaysia. - November 5, 2024
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