Bangladeshis seeking jobs in Russia forced to join war on Ukraine: Report

An Associated Press investigation revealed that Bangladeshi workers are being lured to Russia with promises of civilian jobs, only to be forced into military service in the war against Ukraine. The investigation, published on January 27, 2026, found that labor recruiters are deceiving workers, who are then threatened with violence, imprisonment, or death if they refuse to fight. Some workers, like Maksudur Rahman, were told they were purchased by the Russian military after protesting the forced conscription. The AP corroborated these accounts with documents, including travel papers, military contracts, and medical reports, which show evidence of Bangladeshi workers' participation and injuries sustained in the conflict. Several families reported similar experiences of missing relatives forced to fight.

An Associated Press investigation revealed that Bangladeshi workers were lured to Russia with promises of civilian jobs, but were instead sent to fight in the war in Ukraine. The workers were deceived about the nature of the work and found themselves in combat situations. Some, like Maksudur Rahman and Mohan Miajee, escaped and returned to Bangladesh, displaying Russian military dog tags as evidence. Others, like Ajgar Hussein, are missing, leaving their families in distress. At least one worker, Sajjad, was killed after being deployed to fight. The Russian and Bangladeshi governments have not responded to inquiries from the AP regarding the situation.