20 Bangladeshis killed after being trafficked to Russia for war: SRB

Members of a human trafficking ring lured around 30 Bangladeshis to Russia with promises of high-paying jobs before forcing them to join the Russia-Ukraine war, where around 20 of them have died, Special Response Battalion (SRB) said on Wednesday.

The victims were forced to join the Russian military after reaching the country and were sent to the frontline after 21 days of training, Additional DIG Md Asaduzzaman, commander of SRB-10, disclosed the information at SRB Media Centre at Karwan Bazar in the capital.

They were used as human shields to help identify enemy position and determine the locations and distances of attacks, particularly drone strikes, he said.

SRB members have arrested two suspected members of the trafficking ring --ringleader Mizanur Rahman, 55, chairman of Jabal-e-Noor International Agency and Md Abu Taher Lentu, 50, in connection with the incident.

He said drives were conducted late Tuesday night in Atail area under Nagarkanda Police Station in Faridpur and Kaliganj area in Jhenaidah leading to the arrests of Mizanur and Lentu, respectively.

Asaduzzaman said the accused sent Rajon Hossain, 21, to Russia for Tk8.25 lakh promising him a job at a construction site.

After arriving in Russia on 7 May, Rajon was forced to join the Russian military.

Following 21 days of continuous training, he and around 30 other Bangladeshis were sent to the frontline of the Russia-Ukraine war.

Rajon sustained serious injuries in a drone attack, suffering a fractured pelvic bone and losing the strength in both legs, the SRB official said.

After enduring four days of suffering, Rajon managed to reach a hospital for treatment and eventually escaped and returned to Bangladesh on 23 August with assistance from the Bangladesh Embassy.

Asaduzzaman said that when Rajon later sought compensation, Mizanur verbally abused his family members, attempted to assault them and threatened to kill them.

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Following a complaint by Rajon's father, a case was filed with Kaliganj Police Station in Jhenaidah under the relevant laws on human trafficking and prevention and suppression of migrant smuggling.

Sharing the findings of the investigation, Asaduzzaman said 20 of them died while two managed to escape and return to Bangladesh.

Of the remaining eight Bangladeshis, two are injured and receiving treatment at local hospitals in Russia while the other six remain on the battlefield, according to the SRB official.

Investigators have also found the involvement of two others -- Mostafizur Rahman and Ali in sending the remaining victims to the country, Asaduzzaman said.

The investigation identified the involvement of two organisations- Hares International and TS Group, in the trafficking network.

The SRB official said Mizanur handled all arrangements for the 30 victims, from passport processing to boarding their flights to Russia.

After arriving in Russia and learning the actual nature of their work, the victims contacted Mizanur and pleaded with him to rescue them and bring them back to Bangladesh, but he ignored their appeals, Asaduzzaman said.

He added that investigators have also found indications of the involvement of two Russian nationals in the trafficking network operating from Bangladesh.