Man arrested for confining wife, forcing her into prostitution

A Bangladeshi man arrested on allegations of illegally confining a woman and forcing her into prostitution has been remanded in custody by the Criminal Court on Thursday.

The suspect has been identified as 30-year-old Mohamed Nahidul Islam.

According to the remand order, the suspect, a who resides in a home in Galolhu district, was produced before the court for a remand hearing on Thursday, where the court ordered his detention for a period of 10 days to allow the investigation to proceed. As such, his remand will expire on June 14^th.

The order stated that, based on evidence presented by the Police, there is sufficient prima facie evidence against the suspect. This includes the incident report, witness statements provided by the Police, and documentation relating to the victim.

The suspect is accused of confining his wife to a room and forcing her into prostitution. The court order did not disclose the nationality of the female victim.

The Police have confirmed that the case is being investigated under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act, rather than as a standard criminal offence.

The judge who reviewed the suspect’s remand noted that his release could pose a potential risk to public safety.

Authorities have recently intensified efforts to dismantle prostitution networks operating in Malé. According to police statistics, such cases frequently involve expatriates working in the Maldives, as well as women brought into the country under the pretext of employment, whose passports are allegedly withheld to coerce them into sex work.