BRAC Report: Bangladeshis Trapped in Russia-Ukraine War Through False Job Promises

A new BRAC Migration Program report reveals that Bangladeshi men are being lured to Russia with promises of high-paying, secure jobs, only to be forced into the Ukraine war frontlines upon arrival. The study, titled Promises Written in Blood: How Legal Migration Turned into Forced Recruitment in the Russia-Ukraine War, is based on interviews with survivors and families.

At least 10 Bangladeshi men have been coerced into combat, with fears that several have been killed, the report states. They entered legally on work visas, expecting roles in oil companies, construction, or logistics with salaries up to Tk 70,000 monthly. But upon landing, passports and phones were seized, "volunteer contracts" were signed under duress, and they were sent to secret army camps for training before deployment.

One survivor, Afjal Hossain Meraj from Dhaka’s Uttara, paid Tk 6.5 lakh to an agent for welding work in 2023. Four months in, a broker offered a "war volunteer" role with Tk 26 lakh signing bonus, Tk 3.3 lakh monthly pay, Tk 15 lakh injury compensation, and Russian citizenship if the war is won. Meraj agreed, but was soon armed and sent to the front. He was shot in the thigh in June, escaped Moscow hospital, and returned home in September via the Bangladesh Embassy.

Meraj's father, Ali Hossain, told BRAC, "My son called secretly via WhatsApp and IMO, saying he could die anytime. We were helpless."

Meraj witnessed two Bangladeshis killed and believes 30+ are dead, though no bodies have returned. CID estimates 2,000 Bangladeshis went to Russia on work visas in recent years; many are missing.

Other cases include Ayn Mandal (Bagerhat), presumed dead in a drone strike after being sent to the Ukraine border; Amit Borua (Cumilla), shown in Russian uniform before vanishing; and Mohsin Ahmed (Mymensingh), forced from welding to fighting, now missing since April.

BRAC warns that traffickers are exploiting legal migration routes, with agents promising safe jobs but selling victims to recruiters who feed them to the army. The report calls for urgent government and international action: national surveys, awareness campaigns, and stricter recruitment oversight to prevent further deaths.

BRAC Migration Director Shariful Hasan said, "We’ve submitted requests to the Foreign Ministry and CID, and are providing legal and mental support to families. But government response is reactive, not preventive."

CID Human Trafficking Suppression Unit Additional SP Mostafizur Rahman confirmed six cases, with two returnees and 4–5 presumed dead among 10 illegally sent in two years. "Since June, forced recruitment has nearly stopped, but we estimate 30+ Bangladeshis killed," he said.

The report highlights systemic vulnerabilities: lack of monitoring turns legal migration into trafficking. "Untrained foreigners are treated as expendable manpower," it warns, urging immediate intervention to protect Bangladesh's reputation and future labor pacts.