3 recruiters summoned for sending people as Russian army
Staff Reporter :
The Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment (MoEWOE) has summoned three Bangladeshi recruiting agencies-Bonna Bijoy Overseas Ltd (RL-1334), SP Global Resource (RL-2253), and Maniz Power Corporation (RL-973)-for their alleged involvement in recruiting Bangladeshi nationals to serve as soldiers in Russia in Ukraine war.
A formal notice issued by the ministry’s Monitoring and Enforcement Wing, signed by Senior Assistant Secretary Shibli Sadiq, directs the agencies to appear before the ministry on Thursday morning. The move indicates that the authorities are treating the allegations with seriousness, as they seek to question and potentially hold accountable local agencies suspected of facilitating irregular or deceptive recruitment into combat roles under the guise of legitimate overseas employment.
The summons follows months of mounting evidence that Bangladeshi migrant workers have been lured or coerced into joining the Russia-Ukraine war after initially travelling to Russia legally on work visas. Investigations by media outlets, NGOs, and rights groups have repeatedly highlighted a grim pattern in which workers recruited for sectors such as construction, logistics, or oil-related jobs were later pressured or forced into military service. A report by BRAC Migration Programme, titled “Promises Written in Blood: How Legal Migration Turned into Forced Recruitment in the Russia-Ukraine War,” documents several such cases. It describes how migrants had their passports and phones confiscated and were compelled to sign military or so-called “volunteer” agreements once inside Russia.
There have been documented instances of Bangladeshi nationals being killed, gravely injured, or going missing after being sent toward active conflict zones. One cited case involves Ayan Mondol from Bagerhat, who travelled to Russia on a valid work visa and was later allegedly taken toward the Ukrainian border, after which his family lost contact and believes he may have died in a drone strike.
In many of these situations, the migrants had followed all legal procedures in Bangladesh, including securing visas, employment contracts, and clearance from the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET), yet found themselves trapped in dangerous circumstances beyond their consent.
Reports suggest that the exploitation is facilitated by layered networks of recruiters: licensed agencies operating in Bangladesh, intermediaries abroad working in countries such as the United Arab Emirates or Saudi Arabia (often under the guise of Umrah travel), and brokers or entities in Russia associated with military or paramilitary structures.
The issue gained further visibility after the death of at least one Bangladeshi man fighting for Russia, a case that authorities in Dhaka confirmed was under investigation, with Bangladesh’s Labour Welfare Wing in Russia notified of the incident.
These events have triggered widespread criticism of Bangladesh’s migration governance and regulatory framework. Media editorials and rights groups argue that even when migration appears “legal,” structural weaknesses-including inadequate monitoring of agencies, poor regulatory enforcement, and insufficient post-departure oversight-leave migrant workers vulnerable to exploitation, trafficking, and forced military recruitment.
This situation has raised concerns for migrants and their families, many of whom have suffered irreparable losses, as well as for Bangladesh’s international reputation, since misuse of its labour migration channels for wartime recruitment risks undermining long-standing overseas employment arrangements.
In response, the government has acknowledged the severity of the problem. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has opened several cases linked to trafficking and forced recruitment for the conflict in Ukraine.
The decision to summon the three agencies reflects an attempt by MoEWOE to hold recruiting actors accountable within Bangladesh. Additionally, the interim government has formed an 11-member advisory council tasked with overseeing overseas employment and strengthening migration safeguards. Civil society organizations, including BRAC, continue to call for stronger oversight of recruitment practices, the establishment of clear bilateral labour agreements with Russia, and urgent support or repatriation for affected Bangladeshi workers trapped in conflict situations.