B.Mirror Desk: Marrying a foreign national and moving to China in the hope of a new life—on paper, it is a legal family immigration process. But if this legal route is used for fraud, coercion, or women trafficking, then the matter is no longer limited to private marriages; it becomes a serious risk of transnational crime.

In recent years, the number of Bangladeshi women traveling to China on Q-1 visas for family reunification has increased rapidly. At the same time, there have been allegations from various places where women have been tricked into falling into the trap of fraud by showing them the opportunity to marry abroad, live a better life, have financial security, or go to China. It cannot be said right now that all of these allegations are true. Each incident requires separate investigation and legal verification. However, it is time to seriously review the risk by putting the nature of the allegations and the rapid increase in the number of visas applied for—both side by side.
At the outset, it is important to clarify one thing—marrying a Chinese national does not mean fraud or trafficking. There is no evidence that every Bangladeshi woman who goes to China is a victim of trafficking. Similarly, there is no scope to blame the crimes of a few individuals on the entire Chinese population, Chinese citizens, or Chinese institutions legally operating in Bangladesh.
However, there is no scope to ignore the question of whether legal marriage and family visas are being used as a tool for organized crime by organized crime groups.
Between 2020 and 2025, at least 4,226 Bangladeshi women obtained Q-1 or family reunion visas to travel to China. In 2022, this number was only 35, according to data presented at a recent workshop on human trafficking laws.
The following year, the number increased to 1,016. In 2024, 1,378 women went to China on this visa, and in 2025, 1,721 women went to China on this visa.
There is no scope to view these statistics as direct evidence of human trafficking. But such a dramatic increase in numbers in just a few years certainly deserves investigation. Especially when, alongside this, allegations of women being sent to China by brokers from different areas with the lure of marriage abroad and a better life have come to the fore.
A Chakma family in Rangamati alleged that one of their young women was brought to Dhaka and married to a Chinese national. Similar allegations have been made in the case of a Marma woman from Khagrachari. In another incident, a young woman from Bagerhat alleged that she was drugged and threatened with spreading private photos or videos. Later, when she was sent to China, she alleged that she was tortured there.
Whether these allegations are true or not should be determined through an impartial investigation. But the incidents bring up an important question—is an organized broker gang exploiting the financial weakness, helplessness, or desire for a better life abroad of Bangladeshi women in the process of marrying foreign nationals?
One of the oldest strategies of human trafficking is to capitalize on people’s dreams. In financially insecure families, the offer of marriage abroad is often seen as a door to a new life. Traffickers or brokers can exploit this mentality.
Sometimes it is said that if you go abroad, you will be able to live in a big house. The husband will be wealthy. The family will be secure. The financial situation of the family will change. Sometimes, financial support is promised to family members. Jobs, permanent residence abroad, or opportunities for a better life may also be mentioned.
Various complaints and investigations have also raised the issue of using fake addresses, fake documents, and suspicious marriage documents. In some cases, it is also alleged that intermediaries were involved in transactions ranging from 10 to 20 lakh taka to arrange for the woman to be sent to China.
This is where the biggest question comes in—how much are these marriages actually being verified?
Before marriage, it is important to ensure that the identity, permanent address, marital status, profession, income, and family information of both the groom and the bride are properly verified. At the same time, whether the woman is making the decision to go abroad of her own free will and whether she is aware of the potential risks should also be subject to verification.
China’s presence in Bangladesh is no longer limited to big bridges, power plants or infrastructure projects. Chinese companies and investments are increasingly present in various sectors including manufacturing, power, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, technology and industrial parks.
And there is a possibility of increasing business contacts. Naturally, the movement of people, financial transactions and local-foreign contacts will also increase.
But it is also necessary to ensure that criminal groups do not take advantage of the expansion of legitimate economic activities.
Welcoming foreign investment and relaxing surveillance on foreign individuals or institutions is not a matter of one thing. There needs to be effective surveillance on who the real owner of a project or business enterprise financed by foreign funds is, who the real beneficiaries are, what is the source and destination of the money, and who the local intermediaries are.
This policy is not just for China; it should be equally applicable to citizens and institutions of all countries operating in Bangladesh.
In recent years, allegations have also come to light against some Chinese nationals in Bangladesh for their involvement in crimes such as drugs, cyber fraud and online gambling.
Three Chinese nationals were arrested in March after a makeshift ketamine manufacturing factory was discovered in the Uttara area. Investigators reported recovering about 6.3 kg of ketamine and alleged involvement in an international drug network. In other incidents, there have been reports of the recovery of a large number of SIM cards and telecommunications equipment on charges of online gambling and cybercrime.
However, these incidents must also be judged on the basis of facts and evidence. It is in no way acceptable to view numerous Chinese companies, investors and citizens operating legally in Bangladesh with suspicion because of allegations against a few individuals.
Nevertheless, the question is important for the state—when the nature of transnational crime is changing, are Bangladesh’s law enforcement and regulatory agencies preparing themselves to keep pace with that change?
The risk of women trafficking under the guise of foreign marriage is not a problem unique to Bangladesh. Such incidents have also been documented in various countries in South and Southeast Asia.
Allegations of women from economically weaker sections of Myanmar, Vietnam and Laos being cheated or forcibly taken to China for marriage have come to light at various times.
There may be multiple reasons behind such crimes. Poverty, gender inequality, weak birth registration and identity verification systems, lack of border surveillance, and powerful brokering networks can all create an environment of exploitation.
The issue of the numerical imbalance between men and women in some regions of China is also discussed. However, this cannot be seen as a simple cause of crime. Demographic reality does not force anyone to commit crime. The responsibility for crime lies with the criminal.
Bangladesh has a legal framework to prevent human trafficking. In addition to new laws and policies, the issue of creating a standard operating procedure for stricter verification in cases of marriage with a foreign citizen is also under discussion.
However, enacting laws alone will not solve the problem. Effective implementation of the law and coordination among the relevant agencies are needed.
It is important to ensure rapid exchange of information between the police, CID, special branch, immigration, local administration, and financial intelligence agencies. If multiple agencies have this information, it may be possible to quickly identify abnormalities.
At the same time, surveillance should be increased on the role of marriage registrars or Qazi offices. Anyone who knowingly assists in fake documents or fraudulent marriages should also be brought under the law.
The issue of financial transactions is also important. In the case of human trafficking, large sums of money can be transferred through multiple people and intermediaries. Therefore, the ability of banks and mobile financial service providers to identify suspicious transactions needs to be further enhanced.
Viewing all women going abroad with suspicion in the name of preventing human trafficking cannot be a solution.
Bangladeshi women have the right to travel abroad for education, employment, business, marriage or family reasons. This right should not be unnecessarily restricted. Rather, surveillance at airports and immigration should be based on specific risks and information.
Officials need special training to identify such signs as whether there are discrepancies in marriage documents, whether the person accompanying the passenger is suspicious, whether there are abnormalities in the travel plan, or whether the passenger is under fear, pressure or coercion.
The goal should not be to stop someone because they are women; Rather, it is to identify specific signs of potential trafficking.
If a Bangladeshi woman is trafficked or abused in China, it may not always be possible for Bangladesh alone to collect all the information.
To find out information about marriage records, the identity of the husband, his residential address, bank transactions, or the brokers involved, effective communication between the law enforcement and investigative agencies of the two countries is necessary.
Therefore, China’s cooperation is very important here. The process of exchanging information, joint investigation, following the flow of money, identifying the victim, and if necessary, quickly bringing her back to Bangladesh must be made more effective.
The Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh has previously warned about activities such as illegal ‘matchmaking’ and ‘buying’ foreign wives. This position needs to be transformed into practical cooperation and coordinated action, not just statements or warnings.
The first step in preventing women trafficking can often start with the family.
When a marriage proposal is received abroad, family members need to know who the person really is, where is his permanent address, whether he has been married before, what is his profession and income, and who is arranging the marriage.
At the same time, clear information is also provided on how the visa application was made and where the applicant will stay after going abroad.
There is a need to have a safe and confidential counselling system for women. There, they can seek advice on their foreign travel and marriage process, free from family or social pressure, and learn about the risks of possible fraud.
There should also be an easy way to report a complaint in suspicious situations.
The information about 4,226 Bangladeshi women obtaining Q-1 visas to go to China cannot be seen as statistics on human trafficking. It is not yet clear how many of these women have been trafficked.
But the rapid increase in the number of visas obtained in a few years and the allegations of fraud and torture under the guise of foreign marriages that have come to light at the same time cannot be dismissed as isolated incidents.
Bangladesh needs to look into the matter in depth now.
China is an important economic partner of Bangladesh. Cooperation between the two countries in various areas, including infrastructure, investment, technology and trade, can create important opportunities for Bangladesh. It is natural for that relationship to expand further.
But deepening ties with a key economic partner does not mean that Bangladeshi citizens will have to make concessions on security, its own laws, or national interests.
Rather, the deeper the relationship, the greater the need for transparency, accountability, and mutual responsibility.
It is now urgent to find out whether a legitimate immigration system like the family reunification visa is being abused. Because the price of a lack of caution may ultimately be paid by a family who may have married off their daughter abroad in the hope of a new life, only to never see her return.