At Least 20 Bangladeshis Killed in Ukraine War After Being Trafficked to Russia, Police Say

DHAKA (Terror Monitor) — At least 20 Bangladeshi nationals have been killed in the Russia-Ukraine war after allegedly being lured to Russia with promises of construction jobs and subsequently forced into military service, Bangladeshi police said Wednesday.

According to Bangladesh's Special Response Battalion (SRB), an international human trafficking network allegedly recruited Bangladeshi workers through local agents by offering them employment at construction sites in Russia. However, investigators said the workers were allegedly handed over to the Russian military after arriving in the country and forced to undergo military training before being deployed to the battlefield.

Mohammad Asaduzzaman, a senior officer with the battalion who is leading the investigation, disclosed the details during a news conference in Dhaka.

"Upon arriving on Russian soil, their passports and mobile phones were confiscated, and they were handed over to the Russian military," Asaduzzaman said.

Workers Allegedly Forced Into Military Service

Preliminary investigations indicate that the Bangladeshi nationals were allegedly sent to the front lines as "cannon fodder," where they were exposed to significant risks while being used to identify enemy positions, according to Asaduzzaman.

The investigation has uncovered details of a group of 30 Bangladeshis who were reportedly sent to Russia in early May after being promised construction work.

According to police, 17 of the 30 men were killed in drone strikes on their very first day of deployment to the battlefield. The information is based on accounts provided by two survivors who managed to return to Bangladesh despite sustaining injuries.

Police said the survivors described how the men had been sent into an active combat zone shortly after completing a three-week training programme intended to prepare them for participation in the war.

Investigators believe the recruitment process involved a network of intermediaries who arranged travel to Russia under the pretext of legitimate employment before the workers were allegedly transferred to military authorities.

Three More Victims Die in Hospital

According to police, three additional members of the group subsequently died in hospital, bringing the reported death toll among the 30 Bangladeshis to at least 20.

Two other men are currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Moscow, while the remaining six are still believed to be on the battlefield, police said.

The accounts of the two survivors have provided investigators with important information about the alleged trafficking operation, including the confiscation of travel documents and mobile phones and the transfer of workers to the Russian military.

The circumstances surrounding the recruitment and deployment of the men are now part of the ongoing investigation.

Two Suspects Arrested

Asaduzzaman said police had arrested two individuals suspected of involvement in the human trafficking network.

Investigators are examining the alleged role of local recruitment agents and international intermediaries who reportedly promised construction employment to Bangladeshi nationals before sending them to Russia.

The case highlights the risks faced by migrant workers who accept overseas employment offers through recruitment networks that may conceal the true nature of the jobs being offered.

For workers recruited under false pretences, the confiscation of passports and mobile phones can leave them isolated and unable to seek assistance, while forced deployment to a conflict zone exposes them to potentially fatal dangers.

Bangladeshi authorities are continuing their investigation into the alleged trafficking operation and the circumstances in which the workers were recruited, transported to Russia and transferred to military service.

The reported deaths also raise serious concerns about the exploitation of vulnerable migrant workers through deceptive employment offers linked to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

The casualty figures and allegations of forced military service cited in this report are based on statements attributed to Bangladeshi police.