Bangladeshi Workers Deceived into Combat in Ukraine

Post by : Mina Rahman

A group of Bangladeshi workers, lured to Russia by false job promises, claim they were manipulated by recruiters and coerced into participating in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Maksudur Rahman, from Bangladesh, shared that a labor agent convinced him to abandon his hometown with a guarantee of a janitorial position in Russia. However, upon arrival in Moscow, he and fellow Bangladeshi workers were compelled to sign documents in Russian, later revealed to be military contracts.

Rahman recounted being taken to a military base where they underwent training in various military operations, including drone usage and combat skills. When he expressed his concern, a Russian officer brusquely informed him via an app that they had been “purchased” by the recruiting agent.

He stated that individuals who defied orders faced severe punishment, including threats of long imprisonment and physical assaults. Rahman managed to escape after seven months of coercion, while families of other missing men report similar experiences before last hearing from them.

Investigation of documents such as visas and contracts has corroborated claims of forced military involvement. The affected men reported being forced to supply, evacuate, and assist Russian troops during combat operations.

Another worker, Mohan Miajee, traveled to Russia for an electrical job but, facing dire conditions, was lured by a military recruiter promising a technical position. Rather than that, he found himself in a military camp in eastern Ukraine.

Miajee described a harrowing ordeal of beatings and torture for disobedience or mistakes due to language barriers. He was held captive in a basement and subjected to repeated assaults before ultimately returning home.

Families of these men have approached Bangladeshi authorities multiple times, pressing for action against the recruitment agents. Some wives report their husbands indicating threats of severe consequences if they refused to fight.

In a distressing account, Ajgar Hussein, who expected a laundry job in Russia, sent a prayer request to his wife, indicating he had been forced into combat.

As of now, neither Russian nor Bangladeshi officials have commented on these allegations. Reports of similar issues have also surfaced among families from other South Asian and African nations, raising alarms about the exploitation of foreign workers amid war.