What began as a desperate attempt to escape crushing debt has left a poor day labourer with one kidney, little money and a long legal battle.
For Montu Mia, a resident of Gobindaganj upazila in Gaibandha, the promise of Tk 10 lakh seemed like a lifeline. He was lured into donating a kidney under the assurance that a wealthy woman in Dhaka urgently needed the organ and would pay him the agreed amount, according to a case filed in Number 5 Congnisance court.
Instead, Montu claims he received only Tk 50,000 after undergoing surgery in Nepal.
According to the case statement, Montu had accumulated debts from NGOs and local lenders while struggling to support his family through daily wage work.
It was during this difficult period that several brokers approached him with what they described as an opportunity to eliminate his debts forever. Driven by financial desperation, Montu agreed.
The accused arranged his passport, gave him Tk 50,000 in advance in early January this year and then transported him through India to Nepal, where surgery was performed to remove one of his kidneys, it said.
After remaining in Nepal for several days for post-operative care, he was sent back to Bangladesh without receiving the remaining Tk 950,000 promised under the agreement.
When he demanded the rest of the money, the accused denied owing him anything, according to the case statement.
After failing to secure justice through local mediation, Montu filed the case.
The court directed Kalai Police Station to treat the complaint as a formal First Information Report (FIR), leading police to register the case.
The case was filed against eight identified and four unidentified people.
The accused include residents of Bogura, Joypurhat and Noakhali several of whom have been identified in the complaint as brokers involved in arranging kidney transactions.
Kalai Police Station Officer-in-Charge Rafiqul Islam said the case has been registered following the court’s directive.
“The matter is being investigated seriously, and legal action will be taken against those found responsible,” he said.
Although Bangladesh has laws regulating organ transplantation illegal organ trafficking networks continue to exploit economically vulnerable people through false promises and coercion.
These networks often operate across borders, taking advantage of weaker oversight and complex international routes.
Legal experts say such cases expose not only criminal exploitation but also the harsh realities faced by impoverished families burdened by debt.
Advocate Uzzal Hossain, a lawyer at the district judge’s court, said those involved in illegal organ trading should face exemplary punishment.
“People who exploit poor and helpless individuals through the illegal trade of human organs are committing a heinous crime. Strict enforcement of the law is essential to dismantle such networks,” he said.