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THE recent revelations that Bangladeshi migrant workers, who travelled to Russia through entirely legal means, are being coerced into fighting in the Russia–Ukraine war are shocking and deeply alarming. According to a BRAC report, a number of Bangladeshi migrants have been forced to join the war, with at least three reportedly killed and many others remaining missing. The report rightly observes that these are not isolated or accidental incidents; they form part of a disturbing pattern of trafficking, deception and forced recruitment that violates every fundamental principle of human rights. The victims were not illegal entrants; they were ordinary workers, holding valid visas and job offers in construction and logistics. The BRAC Migration Programme, which produced the report, mentions that at least 10 Bangladeshi families have informed it of losing contact with their migrant relatives soon after the latter entered Russia since late 2024. One such victim, who travelled on a valid Russian visa for a construction job, mentioned in his last message home that he was being moved towards the Ukrainian border, while another was photographed wearing combat gear and holding a rifle. Both families say that they have not heard from their relatives for months.

The BRAC report further claims that it has found that victims were recruited through Bangladeshi brokers and international agents who arranged valid work permits for industrial sites, construction projects or warehouse jobs in Russia. Upon entering the country, many Bangladeshi migrants were stripped of their passports, threatened, and coerced into ‘volunteer’ service for the Russian military. The absence of a bilateral labour agreement with Russia has, as migration experts note, left Bangladeshi workers dangerously exposed. What is unacceptable, however, is the government’s woefully inadequate response. It is not enough for officials to shrug off responsibility by claiming, as an expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment ministry official has done, that the migrants travelled ‘through agencies or on their own’. When Bangladeshi citizens are trafficked abroad and coerced into combat, the state bears a duty — both moral and legal — to intervene. The expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment ministry, the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training, and law enforcement authorities should, therefore, coordinate a thorough investigation to trace the recruitment networks that originate at home and extend across borders. The Criminal Investigation Department’s acknowledgement that a ‘strong ring’ operates through a third country confirms that this is not a localised crime but a transnational racket exploiting the desperation of workers.

The government must, therefore, act decisively and transparently — tracing the missing, prosecuting traffickers and ensuring that no Bangladeshi worker is ever again forced to fight another country’s war. Furthermore, no new migration to Russia should be permitted until credible guarantees are secured for worker safety and legal protection. Dhaka must also engage Moscow immediately to demand the repatriation of all coerced Bangladeshis and to ensure full accountability for those responsible.