UK alleges Bangladesh-based travel agency recruited migrants for Russia’s war

Bangla Press Desk:  A Bangladeshi travel agency has been sanctioned by the United Kingdom over allegations of recruiting and trafficking people to fight for Russia in its military campaign in Ukraine.

The UK government imposed sanctions on “Dream Home Travels and Tours Limited” under its “The Global Irregular Migration and Trafficking in Persons Sanctions Regulations 2025”, according to a statement by the British High Commission in Dhaka.

Britain accused the agency of deceiving and exploiting Bangladeshis for deployment in the Ukraine war on Russia’s side.

The sanctions are part of wider measures targeting 35 individuals and entities linked to Russia’s drone production and networks accused of fraudulently recruiting migrants for the war effort.

According to the UK government, the sanctioned networks targeted foreign migrants seeking better opportunities abroad before sending them to the war front or placing them in weapons factories.

The sanctions include asset freezes in the UK, travel bans, and restrictions on financial dealings with British entities.

British newspaper The Independent reported that the latest sanctions list also included individuals identified as Sergei Merzlyakov and Abid Kalid Sharif Abid.

They are accused of recruiting people from Bangladesh and several Western Asian countries to fight in Ukraine and to destabilise Finland and Poland, according to the report.

Last week, the International Federation for Human Rights said Russia had recruited at least 27,000 foreign fighters since 2022.

The report said a global recruitment system had emerged targeting vulnerable individuals with promises of well-paid non-military jobs in Europe.

It added that around one-fifth of those recruited died within their first four months due to poor training and abuse.