Baptist Christian philanthropist accused of organ trafficking

Milton Samadder, a 36-year-old nurse and founder of a charity for the disabled and elderly, was arrested after getting caught up in a media storm. Voices from the Christian community call for a fair and transparent investigation, urging the authorities to avoid sensationalising the case.

Dhaka (AsiaNews) – Bangladeshi police have arrested a Baptist Christian accused of a series of serious crimes, ranging from organ trafficking to falsifying death certificates and embezzlement.

Milton Samadder, a 36-year-old male nurse, opened a centre in Mirpur in 2014 called Child and Old Age Care, for people with physical and mental disabilities and homeless people who need a shelter and health care.

Samadder had previously set up a nursing home service company called Milton Home Pvt Care, an experience that opened his eyes to the plight of the poor and sick in Bangladesh.

Eventually, he developed a following of 16 million people on Facebook, the main channel by which donations were made to his charity.

Over the years, he received several awards, including, the Sheikh Hasina Youth Volunteer Award in 2022, by the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

On 25 April, however, Samadder found himself in the eye of a storm when a local newspaper reported a series of accusations against him, the most serious being trafficking in organs harvested directly from patients.

In addition, media reports claim that out of 900 people who died at his facility, he could not identify the burial place of 835.

Samadder denied the allegations on his Facebook page after the news broke, noting his willingness to submit to an investigation. Following growing media coverage, he was remanded into custody on 1 May. His bail application was also rejected.

Speaking to reporters, Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Police Additional Commissioner Mohammad Harun-or-Rashid provided shocking details about the case, saying that Samadder "took sadistic pleasure in mutilating individuals" under the guise of medical treatment.

Several doctors have raised doubts about this accusation. Qualified doctors, nurses, and technicians, as well as modern operating theatres, are required for kidney and other organ transfers. Samadder does not seem to have had any of these at his disposal.

Commissioner Harun-or-Rashid explained that funds amounting to 18.5 million taka (around US$ 158,000) were found in the accused’s bank account. According to investigators, donations solicited through social media were not always used for people in Samadder’s care.

Within the Christian community, voices have been raised in the Christian man’s defence, with demands for a fair and impartial investigation.

Catholic journalist Aldrick Biswas describes Samadder as a philanthropist, suggesting that someone is trying to shut down his charity for the disabled and that people engaged in charitable work are often easy targets.

Similarly, Fr Albert Rozario, parish priest of Ramna Cathedral, went to the police and asked the authorities involved in the case to carry out a thorough investigation while avoiding sensationalising the allegations. Samadder’s family also want a transparent investigation.

Milton Samadder's lawyer, Ohiduzzaman Biplab, argues that the allegations stem from problems related to land and road issues regarding the facility in Savar.

For the latter, these matters have led to a media frenzy against his client, noting that the affair is characterised by conflicting narratives that do not help understand the complexity of the case.

• bangladesh
• savar charity
• child and old age cre
• milton samadder
• organ trafficking
• harvesting