Sharing a connection, Bangladeshis still live in war-torn Ukraine

Deep-rooted relations and ties with Ukraine have meant that at least 30 Bangladeshis are still living in the war-torn European country, even a year after it was invaded by Russia. 

They continue to live there as they feel safe and have deep-rooted relations with Ukraine, according to officials of the Bangladesh Embassy in Poland, which also looks after Ukraine as Bangladesh does not have any permanent embassy there. 

"Those [Bangladeshis] who are living in different provinces of Ukraine despite the year-long war are mostly citizens of the country and feel safe there. That is why they have not left yet," Sultana Laila Hossain, ambassador to Bangladesh in Poland, told The Business Standard on Wednesday over phone. 

Mahbub Alam, honorary advisor with the Bangladesh consulate in Ukraine, left the country six months ago but has regular communications with the Bangladeshis who are still living in Ukraine. 

"Most of the Bangladeshis are now living in the capital city of Kyiv, as the city is relatively safe. However, they are facing power failures constantly. This results in no internet and disruption of services," Mahbub told TBS on Wednesday. 

"Many shops remain closed when there is no electricity or when the air defense system is suddenly shut down. So, they face problems in procuring food or other daily necessities," he added. 

About his conversation with some people living in Kyiv last Monday, he said, "They are all more or less in panic. However, they said that people are being able to roam the streets in the residential areas. However, vehicles are not seen much in the town area." 

Stating that the income of Bangladeshis has been limited, he said, "Although some Bangladeshis have jobs, most of them are involved in business. There is an open market in Kyiv where many have small and big shops. But now none of the shops are doing well." 

Bangladeshi Hossain Mohammad Shakhawat Selim used to supply goods to a big mall in Kyiv. After the outbreak of war, he shut that business, but did not leave.

"I am now running a small business elsewhere in the city of Kyiv. As the capital, the city is still very secure, so we can continue to operate," Salim told TBS over phone on Thursday.

Bangladeshi Hasinul Haque, 55, has been living in Ukraine for 34 years. He got married in Ukraine and settled there.

"After the war, naturally, people are not able to pay the rent because there is no business like before," he told TBS on Thursday.

Stating that the power situation has improved in the last two weeks, he said, "From last October to the first week of this February, the power went off several times. There has been load shedding for five hours a day."

Internal refugees have taken shelter inside Kyiv, he said, "Because it is relatively safe, people from other cities come and stay here. But still when a missile attack situation arises, the warning alarm goes off. So the panic is not completely over."

The number of Bangladeshi in Ukraine was more than 1,500 before the war started, according to an unofficial estimate. 

"We started to evacuate Bangladeshis as soon as the war began. At that time about 850 people crossed the border. Many more have crossed the border after that," said Sultana Laila Hossain. 

"I know of only eight people who returned to Bangladesh. Others went to different European countries," she added. 

Khaled Hasan Khan, 61, a Bangladeshi who was a businessman in Ukraine's capital Kyiv, left the country after six months of war. 

Now he is living with family in Lausanne, Switzerland. 

"Khaled was my eldest among my five children. He went to Ukraine for higher studies in 1984 and settled there," Abdus Salam Khan, Khaled's father and a Dhaka resident told TBS. 

"We were fearful when the war started in Ukraine but they [Khaled and his family] left after six months and are trying to settle in Switzerland now," he added. 

The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 triggered a regional forced displacement crisis. 

As of 30 September 2022, at least 7,536,433 Ukrainian refugees have been registered outside of Ukraine. 

Poland and Germany have received the most refugees – over one million each. 

The Czech Republic has recorded the next highest number (438,926), followed by the United States, United Kingdom, France, Turkey, Italy, and Spain – each of which has received between 100,000 and 300,000 refugees. 

Smaller numbers have fled to Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Moldova, and countries that are a part of the UN Regional Refugee Response Plan, along with Poland.