Inside Bangladesh's 'village of one kidney': Victim promised $5700, received half, and pain

A village in a poor region in Bangladesh has become notorious for the kidney trade. The village of Baiguni, which is located in the impoverished nation's Kalai Upazila region, is often called the "village of one kidney" because several residents have one of their two kidneys for monetary reward. In 2023, the British Medical Journal Global Health reported that one in every 35 adults in the region has sold a kidney. Most donors are men in their early 30s, who were lured by the kidney racket with the promise of becoming rich.

83 percent of those surveyed in the journal's study said they were forced to sell their organ because of abject poverty.

Safiruddin, 45, is one of those who sold their kidneys. Since the operation, a dull ache in his side has diminishedhis qualityof life.

He sold his kidney in India for just 2900 dollars, reported Al Jazeera. He hopes for the transaction that is now proving costly, where he would uplift his family, bogged down by abject poverty afflicting the region. However, the money fell short -- his underconstruction house remains unfinished, and he remains as poor as before.

He still toilsas a daily wage worker in a cold storage facility, reeling under the health problems that emerged from the loss of his kidney.

“I gave my kidney so my family could have a better life. I did everything for my wife and children,” he told the channel.

He reportedly came to India on a medical visa after the brokers arranged for his flights, documents, and other formalities.

His identity was altered, and his kidney was transplanted into an unknown recipient whom he had never met. “I don’t know who got my kidney," he said.

In India, laws only permit organ donations between close relatives or with special government permits.

Monir Moniruzzaman, a Michigan State University professor and a member of the World Health Organization’s Task Force on Organ Transplantation, revealed the modus operandi of those involved in this racket. He said the seller's name is typically changed, and a familial relationship is established with the recipient using fake documents.

"Forged national IDs support the claim, making it appear as though the donor is a relative, such as a sister, daughter, or another family member, donating an organ out of compassion,” he added.

Safiruddin said that the brokers never returned his passport. He didn't receive the required post-operation treatment.

Most of these kidneys are sold in Bangladesh and India, reported Al Jazeera. Poverty and a short supply of organs have created an illegal market in the country.

Josna Begum, 45, a woman from Binai village in Kalai Upazila, is another victim of the kidney-selling racket. She and her husband, Belal, were lured into selling their kidneys in India in 2019.

She now describes her decision as a mistake. She said that the brokers had first promised her $4100 for the illegal kidney donation. They raised the promised amount to $5700 to convince her but paid only $2500 after the operation.

Josna said her passport and identification documents were handled entirely by the brokers. “I was OK with them taking away the prescriptions. But I asked for my passport. They never gave it back,” she told the channel.

Belal later deserted Josna and married another woman. She now suffers from chronic pain and can't do any heavy work. She is struggling to procure medicines due to her financial problems.

Mohammad Sajal, a businessman in Dhaka, sold his kidney to repay debt. He was promised $8200 but was only paid $2900.

Assistant Inspector General Enamul Haque Sagor of the Bangladesh Police acknowledged the kidney trade in the country. He says the police have been cracking down on such people.