Grave failures in migration oversight
It is deeply troubling that Bangladeshi migrant workers are being exploited abroad in one of the most dangerous ways imaginable. A recent Brac report reveals that many of our workers, who travelled legally to Russia with valid work visas, have been coerced into joining the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Promised jobs in construction, oil, or logistics, these men were stripped of their passports and forced into military service near the front lines. According to testimonies gathered from survivors and families, some workers were injured or killed, while some families lost contact with their sons, and returnees still live with traumatic memories.
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Brac's findings suggest that both licensed and unlicensed recruiting agents in Bangladesh are involved in this grim trade. Under the guise of high-paying job offers, they send unsuspecting workers to Russia, only for intermediaries there to hand them over to the military. Such cases reveal not just criminal exploitation but deep flaws in Bangladesh's migration oversight. These workers were victimised despite following all legal procedures, including obtaining work visas, and signing verified contracts.
One of these men, Afzal Hossain Meraj, went to Russia in August 2023 for a welding job with a promised monthly salary of Tk 70,000, after paying Tk 6.5 lakh to a recruiting agency in Uttara. Four months later, a broker in Russia offered him what seemed like a better job, with larger bonuses, higher pay, and even the promise of citizenship. But after he agreed, his passport was seized, and he was sent to the battlefield instead of a job site. He secretly called his father and told him that he feared for his life after seeing two other Bangladeshis killed in combat. Such a situation must be stopped urgently.
While the exact number of Bangladeshis caught up in Russia's war remains unknown, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) estimates that around 2,000 people have travelled to Russia with work visas in recent years, with at least a few dozen Bangladeshis feared dead or missing. Brac suspects that several hundred may currently be stranded in active combat areas.
Clearly, the failure to monitor recruitment, verify foreign job offers, or track Bangladeshi workers abroad has turned our migration system into an exploitative one. Without stronger oversight, even "legal" migration routes can be abused by traffickers. Authorities, therefore, must treat this issue as a national emergency. Stronger collaboration between the foreign ministry, CID, and migration agencies is urgently needed to locate those missing, rescue those trapped in war zones, and hold those involved accountable. Public awareness campaigns, especially in rural areas, should warn potential migrants about fraudulent offers. Finally, Bangladesh must use all diplomatic channels to press Russia for the safe return of all coerced nationals and prevent further recruitment of our citizens into the war.
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