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Bangladeshi Workers Lured to Russia Found Fighting on Ukraine Frontlines
Hassan left his home in Mymensingh last August with dreams of a better future. With a legal work visa arranged through a local travel agency, he expected to begin work as a welder in Russia. Instead, his family later received a chilling message through a secure app: Hassan had been forced into military service and sent toward the Ukrainian front.
His desperate family has appealed to Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for assistance while living in constant fear for his safety. Hassan’s case represents a growing and disturbing pattern that has alarmed human rights organizations and government officials alike.
The Brac Migration Program has documented at least ten confirmed cases of Bangladeshi men who traveled legally to Russia for work only to be coerced into combat roles. Officials believe the actual number is substantially higher, with many families unable to contact or locate their loved ones.
“Our helpline has received multiple applications from families describing the same sequence: valid visas, legal travel, then illegal coercion,” explained Shariful Hasan, associate director of Brac’s migration unit. “In almost every case, relatives say their passports were taken, contracts were signed in Russian, and those who resisted were threatened or beaten.”
The human toll of this exploitation has already proven deadly. Local media and families have reported several confirmed deaths among Bangladeshis fighting in Ukraine. Yasin Mia Sheikh, a 22-year-old from Gouripur, reportedly died in a missile strike. Nazrul Islam, 47, from Rajbari, was confirmed dead after being missing for seven months. Mohammad Akram Hossain, 25, from Brahmanbaria, also perished while serving with Russian forces.
For other families, uncertainty compounds their grief. Ayan Mondal of Bagerhat was reportedly moved toward the Ukrainian border after arriving in Russia, with relatives suspecting he died in a drone strike, though no remains have been recovered. Amit Barua of Comilla, who was hired as an electrician, was last heard from in late April before his family received word he had died in combat.
Investigators have uncovered a sophisticated trafficking operation that exploits legitimate migration channels. Many victims departed Bangladesh with proper documentation from the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) or on tourist visas, often transiting through countries like the United Arab Emirates. Families typically paid between 700,000 and 800,000 Bangladeshi taka (approximately $6,000-7,000) to brokers for these arrangements.
“Traffickers promise legitimate employment, then confiscate passports and force recruits to sign documents they cannot read,” Brac’s Shariful Hasan said. “Those who refuse are reportedly threatened, physically abused, or coerced with false criminal charges.”
Bangladesh’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has launched an investigation into allegations of trafficking and recruitment for the Russia-Ukraine war. In June, authorities arrested Muhammad Alamgir Hossain, a suspected ringleader accused of sending approximately 50 people to Russia and forcing at least 11 into frontline combat roles.
CID investigators have uncovered multiple deception methods. Some victims were sent to Saudi Arabia on Umrah religious visas with promises of factory jobs, only to be transferred to Russia afterward. Others had legitimate BMET documentation but were handed over to military personnel upon arrival.
“A group first sent 10 people to Saudi Arabia on Umrah visas promising jobs in factories. After Umrah, they sold them onward to Russia,” CID sources stated. “There, some were handed to soldiers and later trained and sent to the front. Those who resisted faced torture.”
The recruitment efforts have been amplified through social media, where videos circulate showing foreigners, including men claiming Bangladeshi origins, in Russian uniforms. Some footage demonstrates weaponry or offers step-by-step advice on joining the conflict, while other videos feature testimonials urging compatriots to enlist.
The Bangladeshi government has acknowledged individual incidents but has yet to characterize the situation as systemic coercion. Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain told reporters that while Bangladesh cannot prevent every individual from traveling abroad, the government will investigate credible claims of forced recruitment.
“If someone is being forced to fight, we will look into it and work to bring them back,” Hossain said, though he added there was no confirmation yet of large-scale coercion.
Advocacy organizations like Brac argue that more proactive coordination is needed between various government agencies to track departures, verify employers, and support affected families. “Authorities must treat each missing-person complaint seriously, verify recruitment channels, and pursue traffickers under criminal law,” Shariful urged.
For families like Hassan’s, the ongoing investigations provide little comfort amid their continuing uncertainty. “He phones sometimes, but we don’t know where he is or if he will return,” Hassan’s brother told Dhaka Tribune. “We paid for his job abroad so he could earn and support the family. We never imagined this.”
As investigations continue, the pattern remains clear: legitimate visas used as cover, brokers exploiting economic desperation, opaque transfers across international borders, and families left in an agonizing limbo, waiting for news of their loved ones caught in a foreign war.
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9 Comments
The coercion of Bangladeshi migrant workers into Russia’s war effort is a despicable abuse of power. These men were seeking economic opportunity, not combat. The Bangladeshi government must intervene to secure their safe return home.
It’s deeply concerning that Bangladeshi workers are being used as pawns in Russia’s war in Ukraine. This is a clear violation of international labor and human rights laws. The global community must pressure Russia to end these coercive practices immediately.
This is a disturbing and troubling report. Bangladeshi workers being coerced into military service in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a gross violation of human rights. The Bangladeshi government must urgently intervene to protect its citizens.
The exploitation of Bangladeshi migrant workers in Russia’s war is a shameful abuse of power. These men were seeking economic opportunity, not combat. Russia must be held responsible for these egregious human rights violations.
I agree. The Bangladeshi government should work with international bodies to investigate these cases and secure the safe return of all citizens who have been illegally conscripted.
The exploitation of vulnerable migrant workers for political and military ends is abhorrent. This pattern of luring Bangladeshis to Russia with false promises of work, then forcing them into combat, needs to be thoroughly investigated and stopped.
Absolutely. The Bangladeshi government should work closely with human rights organizations to locate these missing workers and ensure their safe return home.
This is a tragic situation. Bangladeshi workers are being lured to Russia with false promises, then forced into military service against their will. The Bangladeshi government must take strong action to protect its citizens and hold Russia accountable.
This is a heart-wrenching situation. Bangladeshi families are living in constant fear for their loved ones who have been forced into military service. The Bangladeshi government needs to take urgent action to protect its citizens and hold Russia accountable.