Protect workers and condemn Russia’s war of aggression
By Tanbirul Miraj Ripon, John Quinley and Maria Tomak in Daily Times of Bangladesh
This month, Bangladesh and Russia announced plans to significantly expand labour migration pathways, with discussions underway to increase the number of Bangladeshi workers in Russia from approximately 10,000 today to as many as 100,000. The proposal was discussed during a meeting in Moscow between Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Labour migration is vital to Bangladesh. Every year, Bangladeshis leave the country in search of employment abroad, and the remittances they send home are a critical pillar of the national economy. In 2025 alone, Bangladeshi migrant workers sent home more than US$33 billion in remittances, providing essential support to families and contributing significantly to the country’s foreign exchange reserves and economic stability.
The government has set ambitious targets to expand overseas employment opportunities for Bangladeshi workers. This is an important and welcome objective. Safe, regular, and rights-respecting labour migration can create economic opportunities for workers, reduce poverty, support families and communities, and contribute significantly to Bangladesh’s development. However, expanding labour migration must be accompanied by strong safeguards against trafficking, exploitation, and abuse.
In March 2026, Fortify Rights and Truth Hounds released a joint report, “I Was Tricked into the War: The Risk of Human Trafficking and Coerced Recruitment of Bangladeshi Men into Russia’s War in Ukraine.” Based on interviews with survivors, family members, and anti-trafficking officials, the report documented how Bangladeshi men were recruited with promises of civilian employment and higher wages, only to find themselves enlisted into the Russian armed forces and deployed to fight in Ukraine. The report pointed to patterns of deception, abuse of vulnerability, coercion, and exploitation that amount to human trafficking under international law.
Importantly, recruitment into the Russian military does not occur solely in Bangladesh. Evidence indicates that some Bangladeshi nationals are recruited after arriving in Russia for legitimate civilian work. For example, the only known Bangladeshi prisoner of war currently held in Ukraine reportedly travelled to Russia for civilian employment before being recruited into the Russian armed forces. This suggests that efforts to prevent trafficking and deceptive recruitment must address risks both in Bangladesh and within Russia itself.
According to Ukrainian authorities, the Russian military aims to recruit approximately 18,500 foreign nationals into its armed forces this year. Recruitment efforts appear to be focused less on attracting individuals from abroad and more on recruiting foreign nationals already living and working in Russia. This strategy places labour migrants at particular risk of coercion, deception, and other forms of exploitation linked to military recruitment.
Soon after the report’s publication, Truth Hounds and Fortify Rights met with Nurul Haque Nur, State Minister to the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, and officials from his office to discuss the report’s findings. During the meeting, we raised concerns about deceptive recruitment practices, the role of labour brokers and travel agencies, and the risks facing Bangladeshi workers recruited to Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. We urged the government to strengthen oversight of overseas recruitment, investigate allegations of trafficking and fraud, and ensure protection, accountability, and assistance for affected workers and their families.
On June 1, 2026, the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment urged Russia to facilitate the return of 30 Bangladeshis who were allegedly trafficked and coerced into fighting in the war. Furthermore, the Ministry has revoked the licenses of three recruiting agencies for their involvement in fraudulent recruitment schemes that facilitated the transfer of Bangladeshi nationals into the Russian armed forces. The decisions are important and welcome steps, demonstrating the government’s willingness to address abuses within overseas recruitment systems. That said, the new government of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) can and should do more.
As it expands labour migration opportunities to Russia, the government should ensure rigorous oversight of recruitment agencies, strengthen protections for migrant workers, develop a system of informing about potential threats for those travelling to Russia for work or study, and continue investigating companies and individuals involved in deceptive recruitment, trafficking, and other abuses. Bangladesh should insist on an explicit guarantee from Russian authorities that Bangladeshis recruited for civilian work in Russia will not be recruited into Russia’s Ukraine war. Authorities should hold those responsible accountable and ensure effective remedies for victims and their families.
Khalilur Rahman, Bangladesh’s United Nations representative in New York, was also elected as the 81st President of the 193-member United Nations General Assembly. In this role, he should push Bangladesh to adopt a more principled position and condemn Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which started in February 2022, has resulted in widespread civilian casualties, displacement of millions of people, deportation of thousands of Ukrainian children, and serious violations of international humanitarian law. Far from subsiding, the war continues to intensify. According to the United Nations, 274 civilians were killed and more than 1,700 injured in Ukraine in May 2026, the highest monthly civilian casualty toll since April 2022. The figure represents a 93% increase compared with May 2025.
As Bangladesh expands its engagement with Russia, it should not lose sight of these realities and should join other states in unequivocally condemning violations of international law wherever they occur.
The trafficking and coerced recruitment of Bangladeshi men into the Russian military should demonstrate to the BNP that the real consequences of Russia’s illegal war extend far beyond Europe and directly affect Bangladeshi citizens. Protecting migrant workers, therefore, requires not only stronger migration safeguards but also a recognition of the broader human rights concerns around migrant labour and exploitation.
Expanding overseas employment and protecting workers are not competing goals. Bangladesh can pursue both. But if labour migration to Russia is to increase dramatically, worker protection, transparency, and accountability must be at the centre of that effort.
By Tanbirul Miraj Ripon, John Quinley and Maria Tomak in Daily Times of Bangladesh