At least 15 Bangladeshi youths have gone missing after being lured to Russia with promises of construction jobs but instead sold to the Russian army for about 3,000 dollars each. According to the report, 30 men traveled to Russia in May 2026 through a licensed agency, expecting to work for a construction company. Upon arrival, they were sent to a drone company and later forced into military training for the war in Ukraine. Families reported the situation to Bangladesh’s Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare, which contacted the embassy in Moscow. The embassy initially assured that the workers would not be sent to war, but later many became unreachable.

Video evidence obtained by the newspaper shows several of the men wearing Russian army uniforms, with some hospitalized after drone attacks. Families held a protest in Dhaka demanding their rescue. The Bangladeshi ambassador in Moscow said the embassy has repeatedly sought consular access and requested that Bangladesh be listed among countries barred from joining the war. The expatriates’ welfare minister confirmed that three agencies were suspended and that possible negligence by embassy officials is under review.

Migration experts have called for a deeper investigation into the incident and urged stricter oversight of labor recruitment to Russia.