UK imposes sanctions on Bangladeshi travel agency
Promised high-paying jobs in Russia, ordinary Bangladeshi citizens allegedly found themselves forced onto the front lines of the war against Ukraine after being recruited by Dream Home Travels
ATT Desk Report
The UK sanctioned 35 individuals and entities for trafficking foreigners to Russia to fight in Ukraine. Among them is Bangladeshi agency Dream Home Travels and Tours Limited, listed on May 5 on official govt. website.
In a statement, the UK Foreign Secretary said that the company had recruited Bangladeshi citizens through deception and pushed them into severe exploitation.
Investigations revealed that “Dream Home Travels” advertised high-paying jobs in Russia’s service sector. However, once ordinary Bangladeshi citizens arrived in Russia, the reality changed dramatically. They were allegedly forced to fight on the front lines in Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.
Alongside the sanctions, the British government ordered the freezing of all UK-based assets belonging to the company’s owner. The UK Foreign Office also made it clear that it would adopt a zero-tolerance policy against those endangering lives through human trafficking and irregular migration.
It is worth noting that the Russia–Ukraine war has been ongoing since February 2022. Allegations that migrants were being used on the battlefield had repeatedly surfaced in the international community, and these sanctions have further reinforced the credibility of those claims.
