Rohingya Beauty Tayeba Runs ‘Marriage Trade’ in Malaysia with Bangladeshi Passport

In 1997, Suruj Zaman’s family fled from Maungdaw, Myanmar, and took refuge in the Kutupalong registered Rohingya refugee camp in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar.

Her first daughter, Tayeba Akter, illegally obtained a Bangladeshi passport, which she has been using to frequently travel to Malaysia.

In both Malaysia and the refugee camps, Tayeba reportedly has multiple husbands. Under the guise of “marriage,” she has trapped numerous Bangladeshi and Rohingya men, leaving many destitute.

Who is Tayeba?

Known in Ukhiya’s Rohingya camps as “the Rohingya beauty from Malaysia”, Tayeba is officially listed in the refugee family verification document (MRC card) as a resident of Kutupalong RC camp, Block-B.

Her MRC card (No. 18570) states she lives in Shed 41 of that block, with a birthdate of January 1, 1994. The document also includes her mother Suruj Zaman, her brother Nurul Afsar, and three other family members.

According to Dhaka Post’s investigation, six years ago Tayeba moved to Kuala Lumpur after becoming involved with a Rohingya expatriate there.

Since then, she has reportedly married at least six men and defrauded another 7–8 young men by promising marriage in exchange for money.

A neighbor in the camp said:
“She lives in Malaysia but visits here every six months or so. She once married a man there, but later we heard they divorced. Now she has a new husband. We don’t know who her real husband is. She lives a very lavish lifestyle.”

How did a Rohingya woman get a Bangladeshi passport?

Tayeba’s current Bangladeshi passport number is EM0189884, issued on 20 November 2023. The document lists her address as Chandrasuddi village, Bhuiyarhat, Kabirhat Upazila, Noakhali.

Her father’s name appears as Babul Mia, while her mother’s name is listed as Amena Khatun—despite her real mother being Suruj Zaman. The passport identifies Dadan Mia as her husband, with an emergency contact address at 36 Purana Paltan, Dhaka GPO, Paltan, Dhaka.

Unlike her MRC card, which states she was born in 1994, her passport claims her date of birth is March 10, 1999, supported by a fabricated birth certificate (No. 19991920904000942).

Investigators confirmed her real identity lies in Kutupalong camp, and the photos on her MRC and passport match closely. Dhaka Post also obtained a scanned copy of one of her older passports (EB0512930).

Under the 1973 Passport Act, only Bangladeshi citizens are eligible for passports. Foreigners or refugees, including Rohingyas, are not. Section 11 of the law stipulates that providing false information or fake identities to obtain a passport is punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.

Defrauding Rohingya youth of Tk 20 lakh

Two years ago, Tayeba began a phone relationship with 25-year-old Rohingya youth Mohammad Atik from Kutupalong. She promised to marry him and take him to Malaysia, gradually extracting nearly Tk 20 lakh from him.

Eventually, she cut off contact. Devastated, Atik later learned that she was a fraud.

Through tears, Atik told Dhaka Post:
“I loved her and gave her everything she asked for. I dreamed of starting a new life with her in Malaysia. But she is a fraud. She took at least Tk 20 lakh from me. I couldn’t get anything back, even when she visited Bangladesh recently.”

Atik added:
“She has many husbands in Malaysia. She’s done this to many others and will continue. This is her profession. Allah will judge her.”

Illegal ‘marriage business’ in Malaysia

Other victims shared similar stories. Among them are not only Rohingyas, but also Bangladeshi, Canadian, and Pakistani nationals.

In late 2019, Tayeba married Salamatullah, a Rohingya fruit and vegetable vendor in Kuala Lumpur.

Salamatullah said:
“She kept making excuses about needing money for family expenses, land, and other things. Within one year of marriage, she drained me of more than Tk 30 lakh. I trusted her and lost everything.”

Another victim, Rahimullah, a Canada-based Rohingya, was lured into marrying her. After moving to Malaysia, he was blackmailed with secretly recorded videos while staying illegally in hotels with her. He paid heavily before fleeing back to Canada. Reports suggest she used the same tactic on a Pakistani man.

A Bangladeshi victim named Mehedi also confirmed similar experiences.

Malaysian expatriate businessman Aminul Hakim said:
“She runs an illegal marriage trade in Malaysia, conning countless young men. She is clever and frequently changes location to avoid being caught. She should be banned from ever entering Malaysia again.”

Why is Tayeba still free despite a fake passport?

In September 2022, another Rohingya woman named Hateja Akter was caught at Uttara Regional Passport Office while trying to apply with fake documents. She confessed she was planning to go to Malaysia to marry a man she had met online.

On 27 August 2025, a Rohingya woman was detained at Narayanganj Regional Passport Office after biometric verification exposed her identity. Her Bangladeshi husband, Mezbah, who accompanied her, was also arrested.

The next day, two more Rohingya nationals were arrested in Chattogram while attempting to obtain passports with fake documents.

But despite such cases, Tayeba and others who already possess fraudulent passports remain at large.

Ukhiya’s Rajapalong Union Parishad chairman Mir Sahedul Islam said:
“In the past, many Rohingyas obtained passports with the help of brokers in exchange for large sums of money. That loophole no longer exists, and we now verify documents thoroughly. Those involved in such crimes before must be brought to justice, and all fake passports should be canceled.”

Cox’s Bazar Regional Passport Office Assistant Director Mobarak Hossain said:
“When suspicions arise, we investigate documents carefully and often uncover fraud. Brokers are now less active, but we remain vigilant. Rohingyas are not eligible for passports under any circumstances. If evidence surfaces that someone obtained one illegally, swift action will be taken.”

When Dhaka Post contacted the emergency phone number listed on Tayeba’s passport, an unidentified woman answered, claimed it was the “wrong number,” and immediately disconnected the call