The Government of Bangladesh does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so as the country remains in the ‘Tier 2’ category, according to the US Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report 2024 published on Monday. Â
‘However, the government did not meet the minimum standards in several key areas. Although the government increased law enforcement efforts, it did not take adequate steps to address internal trafficking crimes – including sex trafficking and forced child labour – or official complicity, both of which remained pervasive, and authorities continued to conflate human trafficking with migrant smuggling,’ said the US annual report made available on the state department website.
It alleged that the government did not sufficiently investigate and prosecute trafficking cases involving the exploitation of Rohingyas, it observed, adding that the government did not establish any new Anti-Trafficking Tribunals.
The report said that victim protection efforts remained insufficient, and officials often lacked a victim-centered and trauma-informed approach when interacting with trafficking survivors.
Shelters lacked specialized services for trafficking victims and few shelters were available outside Dhaka, particularly for men, according to the report.
The government has, however, demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared with the previous reporting period; therefore Bangladesh remained on Tier 2, it said, adding that these efforts included increasing investigations, prosecutions, and convictions against traffickers.Â
The US report mentioned that the government formally adopted victim identification guidelines for front-line officials and identified more victims of trafficking.
Bangladesh also amended its overseas migrant workers policy to bring recruitment agents under greater oversight, thereby increasing accountability, according to the report.
In addition, the government deposited funding in a victim compensation fund for trafficking victims for the first time.
The report said that the government continued to permit set recruitment fees which rendered many migrant workers indebted, increasing their vulnerability to trafficking.
‘Furthermore, courts sentenced the majority of traffickers to fines rather than jail time, which weakened deterrence, undercut the government’s overall anti-trafficking efforts, and likely created security and safety concerns for victims,’ it said.
Bangladesh was in Tier 2 in the 2023 report also.Â
The countries whose governments do not fully meet the TVPA’s (trafficking victims protection act) minimum standards but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards are placed in the Tier 2 category.