A 24-year-old man from Cumilla’s Chandina upazila is reported to have died while fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war, leaving his family devastated and desperate for confirmation of the circumstances surrounding his death.

Mohammad Sagar, the youngest of five siblings, reportedly became involved in the conflict after leaving his job at a bakery in Russia following an offer of military employment from a Bangladeshi intermediary. His family says they learnt of his death on Saturday through a text message sent by a friend in Russia to Sagar’s sister.

The message reportedly read: “Sagar is no more.” His mother collapsed after receiving the news, while his father, already suffering from prolonged illness, struggled to come to terms with the reported loss.

Sagar was the son of Kabir Hossain, a resident of the Chhaykote area of Chandina municipality in Cumilla district. He came from a financially struggling family and had taken on responsibilities at a young age to help support his parents and siblings.

From struggling at home to working abroad

Financial hardship prevented Sagar from progressing beyond primary education. As a teenager, he began earning a living by driving a rickshaw-van and transporting goods for a rod and cement shop in Chandina town.

Through this work, he developed a close relationship with the shop’s manager. Although the manager later left the job and moved abroad, the two remained in contact. After returning to Bangladesh several years later, the manager resumed working at the same shop and eventually helped Sagar pursue employment overseas.

Hoping to improve his family’s financial circumstances, Sagar travelled to Russia in mid-2025 with the manager’s assistance. The family reportedly spent around Tk 600,000 to facilitate his journey.

Once in Russia, Sagar found work at a bakery, where he was earning approximately Tk 70,000 a month, according to the information provided by his family. The job offered a measure of financial stability and the prospect of supporting his family more effectively.

However, his circumstances reportedly changed after he met a Bangladeshi intermediary while working in Russia.

A military job offer and a life-changing decision

According to Sagar’s relatives, the intermediary offered him a position in the Russian military and promised a one-off payment of Tk 3 million. The prospect of receiving such a substantial sum appears to have influenced his decision to leave his bakery job.

In May 2026, Sagar reportedly gave up his employment and followed the intermediary’s proposal. His family alleges that he was misled about the nature of the arrangement and subsequently became involved in the Russia-Ukraine war as a combatant.

The precise circumstances of his recruitment, the terms of any agreement and the process through which he entered military service have not been independently confirmed.

Sagar’s uncle, Abdul Awal, said he had tried to dissuade his nephew from leaving the bakery to join the Russian military. He was concerned about Sagar’s limited education and whether he fully understood the risks associated with such employment abroad.

Awal said his nephew had sent Tk 300,000 to his bank account before going to the war zone. After that transfer, however, the family was unable to maintain regular contact with him.

The absence of communication over the following months heightened the family’s anxiety. The message received on Saturday brought news of his reported death, but it did not provide sufficient details to establish exactly what had happened.

Family left waiting for answers

Sagar’s relatives said the friend who sent the message had promised to provide further details later that night. However, by 9pm on Sunday, the family had reportedly received no further information and had been unable to reach the friend by telephone.

As a result, important questions remained unanswered, including where Sagar died, the circumstances of his death and whether his body could be recovered and returned to Bangladesh.

The family had not received independently verified information confirming the precise details of the incident at the time covered by the report. Official confirmation and communication from the relevant authorities would be needed to establish the facts and clarify what assistance might be available to his relatives.

Father’s hopes shattered by reported death

For Sagar’s father, the news represents the loss of a son on whom the family had placed considerable hopes.

Kabir Hossain previously earned a living through a vegetable business but has been suffering from various illnesses for a prolonged period. Despite the family’s financial difficulties, he borrowed money to send Sagar abroad, hoping his son would be able to earn more and help improve their circumstances.

Speaking about the news, Kabir said: “I used to run a vegetable business. I have been suffering from various illnesses for a long time. I borrowed a great deal of money to send him abroad. I have not even been able to speak to my son for the past four or five months. Now I hear that my son is no more.”

He became speechless with grief as he spoke.

For the family, Sagar’s departure for Russia had represented an opportunity to escape years of financial hardship. Instead, his reported death has left them confronting bereavement, debt and uncertainty about what happens next.

Local administration yet to receive confirmation

Mohammad Ashraful Haque, the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Chandina, said he was unaware of the matter and would look into it.

The family’s account raises concerns about the risks faced by migrant workers who accept overseas employment offers without fully understanding the conditions or potential consequences. Recruitment arrangements involving military service require particular caution, as the duties, legal obligations and dangers can differ substantially from those associated with ordinary civilian employment.

Sagar’s case also highlights the vulnerability of workers from low-income backgrounds who seek better opportunities abroad. For people facing limited educational and employment prospects at home, promises of high salaries or substantial one-off payments can be difficult to ignore, particularly when they are supporting families burdened by debt.

However, the allegations concerning the intermediary and the circumstances of Sagar’s reported recruitment remain claims made by his relatives and have not been independently verified.

For now, his family in Chandina is waiting for reliable information about his fate. Confirmation of his death, clarification of the circumstances in which he became involved in the conflict, and guidance on any possible arrangements for the return of his remains remain their immediate concerns.