A dark web lurking in the shadows of Bangladesh: Destruction of lives in the name of pornography
In the light of the digital age, when dreams are just a few clicks away, for some people this light becomes a shadow of darkness. October 20, 2025—On this date, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Bangladesh Police embarked on a sensational operation that not only arrested a couple, but questioned the boundaries of morality and law of an entire society. A simple rented house hidden on the hillside of Bandarban—where a pair of people, disguised as fruit traders, hid, who became 'stars' of the international pornography world. Their names are not yet fully revealed, but the imprint of their work has spread like poison in the dark corners of the internet.
A strange story of rise: from dreams to the path of crime
May 2024. At this time, this couple entered the online world. They started on social media—Facebook, Instagram—and introduced themselves as 'models'. The couple, who hail from Anwara Upazila of Chittagong, whose male member's family has been living in the shadow of crime for a long time, locals said. The female member's father abandoned his daughter a year ago, and communication was cut off. But amidst these severed ties, they built a network. They opened a Telegram channel, where thousands of members joined. Links to new videos, screenshots of earnings—everything is shared, as if this is a model of 'success'.
Within a year, they made over a hundred videos. Shooting, editing, uploading—everything from Bangladeshi soil. The target was foreign porn sites, where their content quickly rose to the top. Huge viewers, followers, and money—the trio changed their lives. But behind this rise was not just greed, but a larger network. They also encouraged others, looking for new 'partners', so that Bangladesh became a hub for this dark industry. A report by the research platform 'The Descent' sheds light on this truth, which draws on the CID's investigation.
The Night of Arrest: A Glimpse of Light in the Shadow of the Mountain
Sunday night, 3:30 am. A rented house in the Rowangchhari area of Bandarban Municipality. They were known to the owner as fruit traders, living peacefully by paying monthly rent. But they could not escape the attention of cyber detectives. A team of CID secretly entered and caught the two red-handed within a moment. Their computers, mobile phones, hard drives—all were seized. This operation not only made arrests, but also opened the door to a large network. CID Special Police Superintendent Jasim Uddin Khan confirmed in a press briefing on Monday morning that a case will be filed against the couple under the Pornography Control Act 2012 and the Digital Security Act.
Mirror of society: What does this incident teach us?
This arrest is not just a news story, but a harsh reality for Bangladeshi youth. It is clear how the ease of access to digital platforms can turn dreams into reality. Many young people choose this path in the pursuit of quick money, but the result is family disintegration, social scorn, and legal punishment. According to the Pornography Control Act 2012, production and distribution are criminal offenses—with a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine. But the bigger question than punishment is: How do we break this web? Awareness, education, and strict cyber surveillance—these will be the keys.
This couple's story reminds us that the vastness of the internet, as much as it liberates, also creates a web of traps. Today they have been arrested, but how many other webs are still lurking? It is time for us all to shine a light on this darkness.
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