Three Bangladeshi youths, lured to Russia with promises of high-paying corporate jobs, were killed in a Ukrainian drone strike after being forcibly recruited into the Russian army.
The victims, identified as Jahangir Hossain from Kishoreganj, Suruj Kazi from Madaripur, and Yusuf Khan from Comilla, died on May 18 in a Russian-controlled border region.
According to family sources and a video message from a fellow survivor, the victims were victims of a human trafficking scheme.
Jahangir Hossain, a 25-year-old from Karimganj, had traveled to Russia three months ago through an agency. His family revealed that he was initially placed in a pig farm where he suffered from malnutrition.
Later, under the guise of providing restaurant jobs, the agency allegedly handed Jahangir and six other Bangladeshis over to the Russian military.
Following two months of combat training, the group was sent to the frontlines. Jahangir was killed just one week after his deployment.
A fellow Bangladeshi soldier, identified as Mridul from Tangail, confirmed the deaths via a Facebook video message, blaming the agency's deception for the tragedy.
Jahangir’s cousin, Ramzan, stated that Jahangir’s wife was the only one who knew about his military induction, but kept it secret out of fear.
In his last call home two weeks ago, Jahangir warned his family that he would be out of mobile network coverage for some time. He leaves behind his wife and a two-year-old daughter.
Local authorities, including Karimganj Police Station OC Emranul Kabir and Upazila Nirbahi Officer Umme Muslima, confirmed they are in contact with the bereaved family.
While official diplomatic notification is still pending, the local administration has informed higher authorities to determine the next steps for repatriating the remains and taking action against the recruitment agency.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage among locals, who are demanding strict punishment for the traffickers involved.
