Dhaka Rejects Ukraine’s Offer to Hire Bangladeshi Workers

On January 25, local Governor Myroslav Biletskyi announced that Lamella State Enterprise, a furniture company in the Tyachivska urban territorial community, was seeking to hire 160 Bangladeshi workers to address a labor shortage. The company, which has grown from a small workshop to a major manufacturer, hoped to secure workers amid a growing demand for production capacity.

The company was reportedly in talks with Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry to hire the workers under employment contracts. However, the Bangladesh Embassy in Poland, which handles matters related to Ukraine, has refused to approve the recruitment proposal.

Kazi M Murshed, the Counsellor and Head of Chancery at the Bangladesh Embassy in Poland, told The Business Standard, “A Ukrainian recruitment agency reached out to us, but we did not agree to send workers due to the current situation in Ukraine.” He also noted that when a Bangladeshi private recruitment agency applied to send workers to Ukraine, the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) denied the request.

“Our primary concern is the safety of our citizens,” Murshed added. “We cannot predict the potential risks involved, especially after reports of foreign nationals joining Russian forces during the war.”

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mohammad Rafiqul Alam, stated that further details would be provided once the job placements were confirmed.

Bangladeshis Evacuated Amid War

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, over 1,000 Bangladeshis were evacuated with assistance from the Bangladesh Embassy in Poland. Prior to the war, more than 1,500 Bangladeshis were residing in Ukraine, but only around 40 remain, mostly in Kyiv, according to the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry.

Labor Shortage and Economic Concerns in Ukraine

Governor Biletskyi explained that Lamella State Enterprise, which currently employs 430 people, was facing a severe shortage of workers. The factory, which exports furniture components to European markets, needs to expand its workforce to 700. To attract labor, the company is offering a benefits package including free meals, transportation, and a monthly salary of approximately $600.

However, some Ukrainian officials have expressed concern about hiring foreign workers when there are "hundreds of thousands" of displaced Ukrainians in need of jobs. Oleh Popenko, head of the Union of Utilities Consumers, stated that many refugees and internally displaced persons in Ukraine are struggling to survive without employment. Meanwhile, the employment service reported helping 250,000 people, including 42,000 internally displaced individuals, find jobs in the past year.

Bangladesh's Growing Labor Market in Russia

Amidst these challenges, Bangladesh is exploring other employment opportunities for its citizens, particularly in Russia. On January 19, Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh, Alexander Khozin, met with Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain to discuss the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers in sectors such as shipbuilding, construction, and hospitality. Since 2022, Bangladesh has been sending workers to Russia through the state-owned Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL), making Russia an increasingly significant labor market for Bangladeshis.