Thirty Bangladeshis were allegedly trafficked to Russia on the promise of construction jobs but were instead handed over to the Russian army and sent to the Russia-Ukraine battlefield after just 21 days of military training.
At least 20 of them have reportedly been killed in drone attacks, according to a preliminary investigation by the Special Response Battalion (SRB).
The SRB’s preliminary investigation suggests the Bangladeshis were sent to the battlefield as bait to help identify enemy positions, with drone strikes enabling Russian forces to determine the attackers’ locations.
SRB-10 Battalion Commander Mohammad Asaduzzaman shared the findings at a press conference in Karwan Bazar, Dhaka, on Wednesday.
In connection with the incident, police arrested Mizanur Rahman, 55, founder of Jabal-e-Noor International, and Abu Taher, alias Lentu. The SRB identified them as key figures in the alleged human trafficking network.
According to the SRB, the 30 Bangladeshis travelled to Russia on May 7 through three organisations: Jabal-e-Noor, RS International and TS Group. Each was reportedly charged an average of Tk10 lakh on the promise of construction work.
However, after arriving in Russia, they were allegedly denied the promised jobs and handed over to the Russian army. They were sent to the battlefield after 21 days of training.
“Those who were taken from Bangladesh were not really qualified for war. They had no physical conditioning, training or tactical practice of any kind. So why were they sent after only 21 days of training?” Asaduzzaman said.
He added: “What we have understood is that they were sent to the battlefield as a kind of bait, to identify the enemy’s positions. When the enemy launches drone attacks on them, that country identifies the enemy’s location.”
The SRB said the Bangladeshis were deployed in three groups — front, middle and rear. Seventeen reportedly died in drone attacks on the first day, while three more deaths were reported later. The battalion has preliminarily confirmed the deaths of 20 of the 30 Bangladeshis.
Of the survivors, two have returned to Bangladesh with injuries, Asaduzzaman said. One of them, identified as Rajan, reportedly suffered a broken waist and paralysis of his lower body in a drone strike. He dragged himself on his chest for about four kilometres to reach a camp.
Two others are receiving treatment at a hospital in Moscow, while the remaining six are still on the battlefield, according to the SRB.
Asaduzzaman said a Russian national named Igor and a Kyrgyzstani woman named Julia were also allegedly involved in the trafficking network. Authorities are gathering information about them and conducting operations, while efforts are underway to arrest another alleged member, Mostafizur.
He added that preliminary findings suggest people from several countries have been drawn into the war through similar means.
The Bangladeshis came from various districts, including Gopalganj, Mymensingh, Narayanganj, Jamalpur, Pabna, Chapainawabganj, Faridpur, Rajbari and Gazipur.