Five Bangladeshis, reportedly detained at a camp in the Ukrainian city of Zhuravychi, said they were not being given enough food, their phones were seized and they were being tortured.
They requested the Bangladesh government to take action so that they can leave the camp.
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Yesterday morning, Riyad Malik, one of the five Bangladeshis, sent The Daily Star a 40-second-long audio message using another person's phone.
On Saturday, the Bangladeshis told this newspaper that they were being held there to be used as "human shields".
Using someone else's phone, Malik yesterday managed to have a brief chat with The Daily Star. In a shaky voice, he said, "I'm using another detainee's phone. We are being tortured. There is no food and water supply at the camp. Zhuravychi is now a full-fledged war front. The detention camp is under the control of the Ukrainian army. We can hear sounds of bombardment from every direction. If the Russian forces attack the camp or drops bombs, all 120 detainees, including the five of us, will die. Is there anyone out there who can save us? Can't the government save us? Can't they free us? We don't want to die..."
Regarding communications with the Bangladesh Embassy in Poland, Malik said, "We could establish communications but we feel that they are proceeding very slowly. We are not saying they are not working. But if the embassy or the government of Bangladesh does not take rapid action, we will not survive."
Around 60 people, including two Bangladeshis, are stranded in another detention camp in Mykolaiv. One detainee is Jahirul Islam, while another requested not to be named.
On Monday, he said, "Our situation has not changed. As the power connection has been severed, the heating system is not working and we are suffering under extreme temperatures while there is also a water and food crisis. The Russian army is now controlling the city."
He too alleged that the civilian detainees were being used as "human shields" by the Ukrainian army.
An official at the Bangladesh Embassy in Poland said they were trying to rescue all those detained.
