Russia Coercing Bangladeshis into Ukraine Conflict

An investigative report by the Associated Press (AP) has revealed alarming claims that Bangladeshis have been coerced into participating in the war in Ukraine under false promises of civilian employment in Russia.

One victim, Maksudur Rahman, recounted how a labour recruiter convinced him to leave his hometown in Bangladesh for Russia, assuring him of work as a janitor. However, within weeks of arriving in Moscow, Rahman found himself on the frontlines of the conflict in Ukraine.

AP spoke with three Bangladeshis who managed to escape Russian military service. They reported being forced to sign documents written in Russian, which later turned out to be military contracts. The recruits were then sent to a training camp, receiving basic instruction in drone warfare, casualty evacuation, and the handling of heavy weaponry.

Rahman described the moment he protested the assignment: through a translation app, a Russian commander reportedly told him, “Your agent sent you here. We have bought you.”

The three escapees said they were compelled, against their will, to undertake highly dangerous frontline duties. These included advancing ahead of Russian troops, transporting supplies, evacuating injured soldiers, and recovering the bodies of the dead. Families of three other missing Bangladeshis stated that their relatives had shared similar experiences prior to disappearing.

Refusal to comply carried threats of a ten-year prison sentence and physical abuse. Rahman recalled, “They would ask, ‘Why aren’t you working? Why are you crying?’ and then kick me.” After seven months, he finally managed to escape and return home.

AP reviewed documents including travel papers, Russian military contracts, medical and police reports, and photographs of injuries sustained in combat. These records provide compelling evidence of the forced involvement of Bangladeshis in the Ukraine war.

The total number of Bangladeshis affected remains unknown. Victims, however, told AP that they witnessed hundreds of Bangladeshis engaged alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. Requests for comment went unanswered by the Russian Defence Ministry, the Russian Foreign Ministry, and the Bangladesh government.

Human rights observers warn that Russia has reportedly employed similar tactics targeting citizens from India, Nepal, and other countries in South Asia and Africa, raising serious concerns about the exploitation of migrant workers in war zones.