Fatima is Tricked and Trafficked from Bangladesh to India

Fatima in the taxi after the AHTU arrived to rescue her

A partner organization in Mumbai sent us a lead on Fatima, a Bangladeshi woman, trafficked to India under the pretext of a job. Upon arriving in Mumbai, she was forced into prostitution. Fatima managed to call her friend in Bangladesh and share her plight with him, which led to her rescue.

On August 27, 2024, at 2:30 a.m., our social worker met Fatima during her post-rescue procedures. She shared her story with us. 

Fatima was an only child born to poor Bangladeshi parents. She was born in 1998 and studied up to 5th grade. At 15 years old, her parents gave her away in child marriage to a man from their village. Fatima and her husband had a son together. In 2020, her husband abandoned her for another woman and took custody of their nine-year-old son. Fatima returned to her parents.

2023 was a difficult year for Fatima and her mother. Fatima’s father, the breadwinner, died, and shortly afterwards, Fatima’s mother was diagnosed with multiple tumors in the stomach. Fatima and her mother entered into growing debt due to their house rent, medical bills, and day-to-day provisions. Fatima was unable to find work for over a year.

In July 2024, Fatima visited a small printing shop in her village to inquire if the owner had any jobs available. The male owner, Shiny, told her, “What is there in Bangladesh? My sister, who is in India, helps people from Bangladesh get different kinds of jobs: maids, beauticians, and housekeeping staff in hospitals." The hospital job interested her. Shiny told Fatima not to worry about expenses and that although traveling to India would be expensive, Shifa, his sister, could give Fatima a loan, which she could slowly pay back.

Fatima could not believe her good fortune. The thought of clearing her family’s debt and caring for her mother encouraged her to travel to India.

On July 7, Fatima journeyed to Mumbai with Shiny. They traveled for hours on foot, took different trains and buses, and finally arrived at Shifa’s house in Mumbai on July 11. Shifa was seven months pregnant. Shifa, Shiny, and Fatima immediately traveled about 13 miles to a suburb, Nerul.

Once there, Fatima was taken to Shifa’s tiny one-bedroom apartment and was greeted by two Bangladeshi girls and a five-year-old girl. The five-year-old child was Shifa’s daughter. When Shifa stepped out of the apartment, Fatima started chatting with the other girls. They asked her why she had come to Mumbai. Fatima told them about the hospital job. When Fatima asked them what work they did, they shared that they were involved in prostitution because they needed the money.

Fatima was slightly disturbed but did not say anything. That night, Shifa offered Fatima the tiny bedroom while she slept in the hall with her daughter. While Fatima was fast asleep, she was awoken by someone coming into the room. Within a few seconds, the person was on top of her. It was Shiny. He raped Fatima multiple times throughout the night. No one came to help her.

Fatima was kept in the room the next day. Shiny returned during the day and raped Fatima again. Two days later, Shifa took Fatima to Mumbai’s red light area, Grant Road. Shifa left Fatima in front of a building and told her the hospital was on the third floor. Fatima still believed there was a hospital job waiting for her. 

When she walked up to the third floor, Fatima found women adorned in fancy clothes and makeup. One of the women asked Fatima what she wanted. Fatima said she had come to join a hospital as housekeeping staff. The lady laughed and said there was no hospital there; all the women were involved in prostitution. An older woman approached her and told her she must take on customers. Fatima was devastated. There was no sign of Shifa or Shiny. Fatima was all alone in the middle of Mumbai’s red light area.

Within a few days, Fatima’s health started to decline. She begged to see a doctor, but no one took her complaints seriously. On August 19, the brothel manager called Shifa and asked her to take Fatima back to her house. The brothel manager said that Fatima was uncooperative, giving customers a hard time, and was unwell and vomiting. Shifa picked up Fatima and took her to her house in Nerul.

Later that day, Shiny arrived, and came into Fatima’s room, attempting to rape her. Unwell and furious, Fatima said that if he touched her, she would slit her throat. He left.

Before Fatima could lie down and rest, there was a knock on the door. A man stood in the doorway and told Fatima that Shifa was waiting for her in the car outside.

Fatima went down to the car. There was no one there. From behind, someone covered her mouth and nose. Fatima does not recall how long she was unconscious before she awoke in a room. She tried to open the door, but it was locked. She started screaming. A group of men opened the door. In an extremely hostile tone, the men told Fatima that they had bought her from Shifa for 2 lakh rupees (~$2,000). They said they owned her, and she needed to start having sex with customers right away. Fatima assertively refused. The men threw her into the room, then started to beat her all over her body—first with their fists and then with a stick. Fatima was bruised and broken.

Fatima was confined to the shady hotel room and was forced to sleep with customers. One day, in sheer desperation, Fatima fell at the feet of a customer. Through broken sobs, she begged the man to take her away from the place. Moved by her tears, the man told her he would return the following day to help her.

The next day, the man arrived with a group of men. The men threatened to destroy the place unless Fatima was allowed to leave with the man. After an argument, the customer won, and took Fatima to his house.

Fatima spent one quiet day in the man’s home, but the next day, the man and his wife had a major fight. The wife wanted to know who Fatima was and why her husband had brought her to their house. After a long and nasty fight, the man told Fatima she had to leave and arranged for a taxi to take her to Panvel (23 miles from Mumbai).

Once again, Fatima was afraid. She was on her way to Panvel, and all she had was her mobile phone. Not knowing what would happen once she arrived or who to call for help, she called Shiny and asked him to help her. Shiny told Fatima to meet him at a mall in Nerul. He said he would come and get her. So Fatima redirected her taxi driver to the mall in Nerul. She also called a friend in Bangladesh and told him about her harrowing weeks in Mumbai. Fatima told her friend she was about to meet Shiny at a mall. The friend immediately alerted Fatima’s mother in Bangladesh. 

Our partner organization contacted us to tell us about Fatima’s case. We called the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) police team in Navi Mumbai, who immediately assembled a team to rescue Fatima at the mall in Nerul. When Fatima arrived at the mall, the AHTU was waiting for her. They immediately rescued Fatima. Shiny had also arrived at the mall. The AHTU told the taxi driver to give Shiny his location. As both Shiny and Shifa approached the taxi, the AHTU intercepted and arrested them.

At the police station with Fatima (right)

Fatima, Shifa, and Shiny were taken to the police station. On August 27, at 2:30 a.m., we arrived at the police station in Panvel and spent some time with Fatima. She shared her horrific account with us of her experience from the time she set foot in India. Fatima was unwell, weak, and in pain. We accompanied her to a medical test and then to a shelter home where she is safe and finally able to rest and begin recovering from the trauma she has endured. 

Shifa and Shiny are in police custody. We have no doubt they will apply for bail; we will be prepared to fight for their bail to be rejected, and we will push for this case to be expedited to trial. Both individuals deserve a just and serious punishment for the horrific ways they exploited and terrorized this young woman. Our team will also work to get Fatima repatriated back to Bangladesh and support her as she begins her healing journey.

The brothel keeper, Shifa

The trafficker, Shiny

Update: March 4, 2026

Fatima will soon return to Bangladesh. After almost 19 months since her rescue, the government finally passed her repatriation order.