A woman from Bangladesh who was trafficked and abused by two individuals in Saskatchewan, enduring repeated assaults, expressed her ongoing fear and struggle to trust others. In her victim impact statement, she lamented the destruction of her dreams, life, honor, future, family, and career by the perpetrators.
The culprits, Mohammed (M.D.) Masum, 45, and Sohel Haider, 56, were found guilty of human trafficking and were back in court for sentencing. Masum, in addition to the trafficking charges, was convicted of three counts of sexual assault, equated by the judge to rape in simpler terms. The victim’s identity remains protected by a court order.
Despite her anonymity, the woman revealed in her statement the damaging impact of gossip in her Bangladeshi community on her family’s reputation and her siblings’ prospects. She described a shift from independence to reliance on others, regretting her decision to come to Canada where she felt commodified.
The offenses spanned from August 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023, as the woman was promised employment in a Saskatchewan restaurant to secure her status as a temporary foreign worker. Initially working in Haider’s Gull Lake restaurant, she was later transferred to Masum’s establishment in Tisdale without proper work permits, enduring underpaid labor and long hours.
Upon receiving a work permit for a different restaurant in Elrose, the woman escaped with the help of concerned individuals shortly after her arrival. The Crown argued for significant prison terms, emphasizing the breach of trust and control exerted by the offenders over the victim’s life.
Ultimately, Masum received a 14-year sentence, while Haider was sentenced to the mandatory minimum of four years. Both men were ordered to pay restitution for unpaid wages, with Haider owing $5,885.16 and Masum $12,268.
