The Voices of Survivors Part III

“My country’s condition and situation is not okay, because of the political issue, corruption, there are many, many problems in Bangladesh. So, when I complete my graduation, I think I need to go abroad to earn money and support my family.”

Recently graduated, Ariyan began searching for job opportunities overseas, driven by a desire to escape the political unrest in Bangladesh and provide for his family. Along with four close friends, he set his sights on Thailand. Through a mutual connection, they were offered jobs at a Chinese real estate company based in Thailand, with a promised monthly salary of $1,200. 

“The broker told us we need to take an interview first…by Zoom meeting. We open our camera…but he doesn’t open his. He told us: ‘What is the meaning of PC?’ We say, personal computer. ‘Do you know how to use a computer?’ Yes, we know PowerPoint, Excel…within one hour, he contacted the broker and said we have passed the interview.” 

Shortly after the interview, Ariyan and his friends flew with SriLankan Airlines to Suvarnabhumi Airport in Thailand. The broker arranged for a driver, who informed them that the company was located in Mae Sot, approximately a six-hour drive from the airport. This directly contradicted what the broker had originally told them, which was that the company was located near Bangkok. Along the way, the driver instructed them to hand over their passports and to tell immigration officers at various checkpoints that they were tourists. 

“[The car] stopped near Moei River…the division between Thailand and Myanmar. When we go there, 10 or 12 people come from inside the forest, they touch our hand and say, ‘Follow me.’ Everyone has a gun. We look and there are two small boats waiting for us in this river. This time, I said to the broker, ‘Why will they transfer us to Myanmar?’”

At that point, the broker disconnected the call and blocked Ariyan and his friends on WhatsApp. They were taken to a jail-like compound, where their phones and identity documents were confiscated. 

“We were feeling very scared. What’s happening? What’s wrong here? Then one Pakistani came and he said, ‘Brother, you are new?’ We say, yes, we are new. Then he told us, ‘Listen, this is a jail. There are many, many people stuck in the compound. Nobody goes outside. And this is a Chinese scamming company. If the Chinese say anything, you just tell them yes, don’t say no. If you say no, they will punish you with electric shocks and torture. Even if you do not hear about their rules and regulations, they don’t care about your life. So as a brother, I just told you, don’t say no.’” 

Ariyan and his friends were forced to sign a contract stating they would work with the company for one year and six months. The contract included a list of rules, along with a condition: over the course of their employment, they would each have to generate $200,000 USD in earnings for the company. When they began to protest and begged to go back to Bangkok, they were tortured with electric shocks. 

“One of the Chinese takes the electric shotgun. He comes and gives it to our backside hard. At this moment we are very scared. What was happening? Why is he giving us electric shocks? It’s like our body is vibrating.”

Ariyan was instructed to make online friendships with people from Turkey, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the Netherlands. He was told to find them on Instagram and TikTok, send them friend requests, and talk to them like a very close friend until they agreed to move the conversation to WhatsApp. His daily target was to collect 100 WhatsApp numbers, and he was forced to work between 13 and 15 hours.

One day, he was instructed to take another victim to the doctor. The man had been nearly tortured to death and later died. While at the hospital, Ariyan saw a chance to escape. He jumped into the river and let the current carry him. A guard in a border watchtower spotted him and opened fire, shooting at him four times. 

“I say my God, my God if you…If you help me, I promise you, if you help me to go back to my country or a safe place, I will help every victim out of this company. Just help me to go to a safe place. 

Ariyan managed to reach the Thailand side of the border and found help through the local community and the National Referral Mechanism of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). He eventually returned to Bangladesh, where he was reunited with his family. 

“Anytime I am crying…I say thanks to my God actually. He gave me another life. So this life, this is my last and everything is my last. I don’t know where I will go, where is my next destination and what I will do, but everything will be fine. I will try to do good for my family and no need to take the $1,200 salary.” 

Ariyan left home in search of a better life, not knowing the path ahead would lead to fear, hardship, and violence. He was deceived, trafficked, and forced into a life he never chose. Since escaping, he has transformed his trauma into a mission, risking everything to protect others from similar exploitation. He has bravely chosen to speak out. Modern slavery thrives in silence, and breaking that silence can save lives. Stand with Ariyan. Speak out. Every voice raised helps prevent others from becoming victims of human trafficking for forced criminality.