Bangladesh has stepped up its fight against human trafficking, but significant challenges remain, according to a new report from the United States.
Key Recommendations
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Expanding anti-trafficking tribunals to busy areas.
- Giving victims in shelters more freedom of movement.
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Improving police training, immigration officers and healthcare providers.
The 2025 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, released by the US Department of State, kept Bangladesh in Tier 2 — a ranking for countries that do not fully meet international standards to eliminate trafficking but are making “significant efforts” to do so.
The report commended the government for training frontline officials on how to identify victims and provide trauma-informed care, as well as for formally adopting a national referral mechanism to connect victims with necessary services. Authorities also identified more victims of trafficking last year and referred them for protection.
At the same time, the report found several areas where progress fell short. Law enforcement efforts decreased, with fewer traffickers investigated, prosecuted or convicted. Crimes such as sex trafficking and forced child labour remain widespread, and labour inspectors lack the resources to monitor workplaces—especially in the informal sector properly.
Support services for survivors also remain limited, particularly for Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi workers returning from abroad. Recruitment fees for overseas jobs, which leave many migrants indebted and vulnerable to exploitation, continue to be allowed.
What the Report Recommends
The TIP Report urged Bangladesh to strengthen its justice system by holding traffickers—including complicit officials—accountable with tougher penalties. It also called for:
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Expanding anti-trafficking tribunals to busy areas.
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Providing better care and reintegration support for all victims, including men and foreign nationals.
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Enforcing labour recruitment rules while removing fees that burden migrant workers.
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Giving victims in shelters more freedom of movement.
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Improving police training, immigration officers and healthcare providers.
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Enhancing pre-departure training for migrant workers on their rights and access to help abroad.
It further recommended that Bangladesh fully implement its 2015 agreement with India to help repatriate trafficking victims and adopt a stronger, better-funded national action plan.
US officials stressed that trafficking remains a global problem, fuelling organised crime and exploitation. The annual report, now in its 25th edition, is aimed at pushing governments worldwide to take stronger action against forced labour and sexual exploitation.
