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Friday | October 30, 2026 | Dhaka

Bangladeshis forced into Russia’s War: It’s Time to Take Diplomatic Action

 Editor Desk
 Published: 12:09 AM, 30 October 2026

RECENT reports in various media outlets indicate that Bangladeshis are being forcibly sent to fight in Russia’s war — a development that is deeply concerning.

After being taken to Russia with promises of legitimate, better-paying employment, these individuals are instead being deployed to the battlefield.

According to the reports, several casualties have already emerged. Many are currently undergoing treatment in hospitals.

The lives of these unfortunate individuals, who fell victim to fraud abroad, are in peril, while their relatives back home are left in a state of utter distress, having no news about them. It is now imperative that this harrowing situation must be brought to an end.

Meanwhile, different newspapers, citing the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, report citizens from 29 countries, including Bangladesh, are being trafficked and recruited into the Russian armed forces under the false promise of civilian employment.

Evidence has emerged that foreign nationals are being inducted into the Russian military through deception and coercion, facilitated by recruitment networks operating across various countries.

Many of them were subsequently sent to the battlefield in Ukraine. Some have since been killed, wounded, taken prisoner, or gone missing.

These details are presented in a report prepared for submission to the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. As per reports, at least 54 Bangladeshis have been killed in this conflict over the past three years.

The UN investigative commission has obtained copies of several business visas used by Bangladeshi nationals to travel to Russia. According to the report, these visas were issued following invitations extended to the Bangladeshi nationals by a Russian civilian entity.

Although the stated purpose of travel in the documentation was civilian in nature, the commission’s comprehensive investigation revealed that such arrangements were, in fact, used to recruit foreign nationals into the Russian military.

Allegations of fraud against Bangladeshis seeking to go abroad are nothing new. Within the country, too, various syndicates have emerged that deceive ordinary people by promising to send them abroad, only to swindle them out of large sums of money.

Subsequently, they hand these individuals over to international human trafficking rings. However, legal action is rarely taken against these fraudulent recruiting agencies.

We believe it is essential to resolve this matter through diplomatic channels on the international stage. Furthermore, arrangements must be made for the prompt repatriation of those who are still on the battlefield in Russia or are currently receiving medical treatment. Simultaneously, robust diplomatic efforts must be undertaken to secure the compensation due for the Bangladeshi nationals who were killed.