Trafficked to fight in Russia: Bangladeshi victims recount harrowing tales
At least 7 Bangladeshis have been trafficked and conscripted into the Russian military, and then sent to the frontlines in Ukraine, where one has already reportedly died
Arman Mondol was riding a bike with a Russian soldier, both of them heavily armoured, navigating deep into the warzone of Ukraine. Arman had no idea where they were; it wasn't his fight, but he was there, barely trained to operate an assault rifle, yet carrying a 12kg bulletproof jacket, a heavy rifle, and a 20kg rucksack carrying bombs and bullets.
As the bike advanced into the warzone, drone attacks began raining down on them. While manoeuvring through the route and dodging the drones, Arman's bike suddenly hit a landmine, instantly killing his Russian rider. Arman was thrown off, his legs gravely injured, but he survived.
With severe injuries to his leg, he immediately realised that if the landmine had not killed him, the aerial attacks would certainly finish the job. Despite his grave injuries, he managed to get back on the bike and, with great difficulty, manoeuvred through the combat zones to a nearby Russian camp, where he collapsed. The Russian soldiers there rescued him and sent him to a medical centre.
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After receiving initial treatment, he was subjected to two days of travel to Novorossiysk, where he is currently receiving care in a hospital. He verified this by sharing his live location on WhatsApp.
"The trafficker in Bangladesh told me I would get normal jobs in Russia, but instead, they dragged me into war. My passport is with a Russian commander, and I have no idea how or when I can return to Bangladesh," Arman said from the Russian hospital, his leg plastered.
Arman is one of at least seven Bangladeshis, including Mohammad Aminul, Akram Hossain, Shohan Mia, Mobarak Hossain Saddam, Rahmat Ali, and Humayun Kabir, who were trafficked to Russia and conscripted into the Russian military to fight in the war in Ukraine.
All of these individuals were trafficked to Russia by an agency called Dream Home Travel, owned by an Awami League leader named Abul Hasan and his 'partner' Tamanna Zerin, according to the victims.
The traffickers promised the victims normal jobs in Russia on tourist visas, along with Tamanna's brother, Nazmul Hasan Tuhin, who was also allegedly involved in the trafficking.
The victims alleged that Tuhin was sent there to create a sense of legitimacy, before they were 'sold' to a Russian agent who handed them over to the Russian military.
Tamanna was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on 6 February from the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport while attempting to flee to Nepal.
TBS attempted to contact the others accused, but they were unreachable.
The Bangladesh Embassy in Russia is aware of the issue.
"We are negotiating with the Russian Foreign Ministry through diplomatic channels to have them released from military service," Mazedur Rahman Sarkar, First Secretary of the Labour Welfare Wing in Moscow, told TBS via WhatsApp.
The victims we interviewed said they were trafficked to Russia in December, where they were quickly enlisted in the military. Throughout January, they endured nightmarish experiences, with at least one of them reported dead in combat by fellow victims, while two others remain missing.
Akram Hosain was the only victim among the six to return to Bangladesh.
"The trafficker sold us to the agents there for a hefty sum of money. And for every death, they would receive a large payout from the Russian military. Tamanna's brother was likely there to claim the money after we died in the war," Akram said.
Akram managed to escape the war zones but faced death threats, claiming his Russian agent was still looking for him even after he fled the country. However, his brother Shohan Mia remains enlisted with the Russian military.
"Shohan could be sent to the frontlines any day," Akram said.
Both Akram and Arman told TBS that a victim named Humayun Kabir was killed in the war.
"His brother-in-law, Rahmat Ali, told us that Humayun Kabir died in his lap after being injured in the conflict," Arman said.
Rahmat, however, is now missing. Both Akram and Arman said that Rahmat was taken back to the frontlines by Russian soldiers, and he has been missing ever since.
We attempted to contact Rahmat on WhatsApp, but he was unreachable.
We also asked Mazedur to confirm the death, but he did not respond to this query. Additionally, we inquired whether the government knew the total number of Bangladeshis trafficked to join the Russian war, but he did not respond to that query.
Asif Nazrul, Adviser to the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas, also did not respond to our queries.
Aminul's wife, Jhumu Akter, has been left in the dark about her husband's fate. A mother of two, Jhumu said she last spoke with Aminul seven days ago. He had already fought in the war for three days and returned alive.
However, this time she has not heard from her husband, even though seven days have passed since he went to war.
"I don't know if my husband is alive or dead. I don't know what to do, where to go, or how to care for my children on my own," Jhumu said.
