Dhaka, July 8 -- What seemed like a dream job abroad turned into a brutal nightmare for Faysal, a 26-year-old Bangladeshi who was promised a high-paying position in Thailand. Instead, he was trafficked across borders and forced into a cyber slavery ring operating out of Myanmar - one of many young Bangladeshis falling prey to a growing regional web of digital forced labour.
Faysal, who had previously worked in Dubai as a graphics designer, saw the Thailand offer as a chance to rebuild after losing his job during the pandemic. Recruiters promised to cover all expenses, including visa processing and flights. But when he landed, armed men met him at the airport, drove him for hours, and forced him at gunpoint into Myanmar.
Inside a heavily g...