Between 2020 and 2025, at least 4,226 Bangladeshi women traveled to China on family visas, reflecting a sharp upward trajectory that has drawn intense scrutiny from immigration officials and law enforcement. According to data disclosed at a workshop in Dhaka, annual travel numbers climbed from just 35 individuals in 2022 to 1,721 by 2025. Officials attribute this surge to transnational criminal networks exploiting cross-border family reunification pathways to traffic vulnerable women through sham marriages.
Rising Visa Numbers Fuel Human Trafficking Concerns
The scale of travel via Q1 family visas reveals a rapid expansion over a five-year window. Data presented at the workshop—organized by Justice and Care Bangladesh with support from the British High Commission—shows that 69 women traveled to China on these visas in 2020. That figure dipped to 7 in 2021 before rebounding to 35 in 2022. Subsequently, the numbers escalated dramatically, hitting 1,016 in 2023, 1,378 in 2024, and peaking at 1,721 in 2025.
According to Special Branch officials speaking to The Daily Star, criminal syndicates increasingly target vulnerable populations, including indigenous women from the Chattogram Hill Tracts. Documented cases highlight severe abuses. In 2024, a Chakma woman in Rangamati filed a case stating her 21-year-old sister was taken to Dhaka and forced into a sham marriage with a Chinese national. In a separate incident, a 21-year-old Marma woman from Khagrachhari was rescued after traffickers compelled her to marry a Chinese citizen. More recently, a 19-year-old woman from Bagerhat reported being drugged, threatened with compromising media, and trafficked to China in August, where she faced torture and sexual abuse before returning to Bangladesh on August 4 with assistance from Justice and Care.
Did you know?
The Chinese embassy in Bangladesh issued a July 14 notice warning citizens that illegal “bride-buying” schemes routinely lead to human trafficking, extortion, physical harm, and severe financial losses.
Proposed Standard Operating Procedure Targets Sham Marriages
To stem the flow of illegal migration and protect potential victims, authorities are vetting a new standard operating procedure. According to home ministry officials, the proposed framework imposes rigorous documentation and verification mandates on marriages involving foreign nationals.
Under the draft rules, a foreign national must reside in Bangladesh with a valid passport and visa; visas on arrival will no longer be accepted for marriage purposes. Furthermore, the foreign national must produce an unmarried-status certificate issued by a local council in their home country and authenticated by their respective embassy or high commission in Dhaka. Registrations must go through an authorized marriage registrar, with specific compliance required from district councils in the three hill districts. Finally, resulting marriage certificates must undergo mandatory authentication by a notary public, followed by clearance from both the law ministry and the foreign ministry.
Enforcement Challenges and Legal Adjustments
Immigration authorities emphasize that sophisticated criminal rings continue to adapt. Md Abu Noman, additional superintendent of police at Immigration, stated at the Dhaka workshop that trafficking networks are actively forging documents and leveraging artificial intelligence to fabricate information for visa applications. In response, Bangladesh Immigration has implemented offloading protocols and screening tools to intercept victims before departure.
Complementing these administrative controls, legislative updates aim to strengthen judicial powers. Mohammad Tariqul Islam, country director of Justice and Care Bangladesh, noted that the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Migrants Act, 2026, introduces migrant smuggling as a distinct legal chapter aligned with international protocols. The updated law expands the authority of Anti-Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Tribunal judges, allowing them to adjudicate ancillary offences such as rape and murder linked directly to trafficking cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many women traveled to China on family visas between 2020 and 2025?
At least 4,226 Bangladeshi women traveled to China on Q1 family visas during this period, with annual totals rising from 35 in 2022 to 1,721 in 2025.
What new requirements are proposed for marriages involving foreign nationals?
The proposed standard operating procedure requires valid passports and visas (excluding visas on arrival), authenticated unmarried-status certificates from the foreign national’s home country, authorized marriage registration, and dual-ministry authentication of marriage certificates.
What warnings have diplomatic missions issued regarding these marriages?
The Chinese embassy in Dhaka warned its citizens via a July notice that illegal bride-buying arrangements frequently result in trafficking, extortion, and physical violence.
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