Abu Dhabi:The United States has highlighted that the government of Bangladesh convicted fewer traffickers and failed to adequately address internal trafficking crimes, which continue to be widespread. This was detailed in the latest report released on October 8.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the report states that while Bangladesh does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, the country is making significant efforts. Despite these challenges, Bangladesh remains on Tier 2 due to its overall increasing efforts compared to the previous reporting period.
The government's initiatives included passing the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Migrants Ordinance 2026, which aims to strengthen the legal framework against trafficking. Other measures include increasing investigations and prosecutions, updating human trafficking crime and victim identification guidelines, and piloting a digital National Referral Mechanism (NRM) to enhance the coordination of referrals to protection services. Additionally, protections for migrant workers have been strengthened to reduce their vulnerabilities.
Despite these efforts, the report pointed out several areas where the government fell short of meeting the minimum standards. Fewer victims were identified, and victim protection and reintegration efforts were insufficient, especially for Rohingya refugees and returning Bangladeshi migrant workers. The continued allowance of worker-paid recruitment fees also leaves many migrant workers vulnerable to trafficking due to indebtedness.
Thomas Tommy Pigott, a spokesman at the US Department of State, emphasized that human trafficking undermines values of freedom and dignity. The 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report exposes new methods used by criminal organizations and oppressive regimes to exploit this practice financially. The report calls for accountability from governments failing to penalize traffickers and protect citizens, with the Trump Administration committed to deploying all available tools to combat traffickers and their supporters.