An Associated Press investigation published Tuesday found Bangladeshi workers were lured to Russia with promises of civilian jobs and then coerced into fighting in Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Maksudur Rahman said that after arriving in Moscow, he and other workers were told to sign documents that became military contracts, then sent to a camp to learn drone warfare, medical evacuation and heavy weapons.
When he protested, a commander replied via a translation app: “Your agent sent you here. We bought you.”
Rahman said men were threatened with 10-year jail terms and beaten.
Families of missing Bangladeshis filed police complaints and traveled to Dhaka to push for an inquiry.
Neither Russia’s defence and foreign ministries nor Bangladesh’s government answered questions, the report said.