Bangladesh must act now to stop the recruitment of its citizens into Russia’s war against Ukraine

From the report

The growing involvement of Bangladeshi citizens in Russia’s war against Ukraine has become a deeply troubling humanitarian and national security concern. Reports of Bangladeshi men being lured to Russia with promises of lucrative civilian jobs, only to find themselves recruited or forced into military service and deployed to the Ukrainian battlefield, demand urgent attention from the government in Dhaka. What initially appeared to be isolated cases of labour exploitation is increasingly emerging as a serious pattern of human trafficking, deception and forced recruitment.

The situation has similarities to the recent case of Indonesia, whose government has formally urged Russia to stop recruiting Indonesian citizens into its military. According to Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry, Jakarta has requested that its citizens be exempted from Russian military recruitment. The move followed reports that at least 283 Indonesians had joined the Russian military during the year, compared with only nine over the previous two years. Indonesia’s diplomatic response demonstrates how seriously a government should take the possibility of its citizens being exploited in a foreign war.

Unfortunately, Bangladesh has also been facing a disturbing version of this problem. Investigations by international and Bangladeshi media have revealed how recruitment networks allegedly attract economically vulnerable Bangladeshi men with promises of well-paid employment in Russia. Positions such as security guards, cleaners, electricians, construction workers, drivers and factory employees are advertised as opportunities for a better future. However, some workers reportedly discover after arriving in Russia that their employment arrangements have been transformed into military contracts, leaving them exposed to the dangers of a war they never intended to join.