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DHAKA: Bangladesh has not fully met the minimum standards for eliminating human trafficking, although it is making significant efforts to do so, according to the US Department of State’s annual report on human trafficking.
The 2026 “Trafficking in Persons Report” was released on Thursday, October 8, and published on the US Department of State’s website.
The report said the Bangladesh government had increased its overall efforts to combat human trafficking compared with the previous year. However, the country remained at Tier 2, the same level as before. Bangladesh’s neighbours India, Pakistan, Bhutan and Sri Lanka are also among the countries placed in this tier.
Countries that have made significant progress in combating human trafficking and fully met the minimum standards set out in relevant US legislation are placed in Tier 1. Tier 2 includes countries that have not fully met the minimum standards but are making significant efforts to do so. A separate Tier 2 Watch List covers countries that meet specific criteria indicating concerns about their efforts and progress. Tier 3 includes countries that have neither fully met the minimum standards nor made significant efforts to do so.
According to the report, the Bangladesh government’s efforts include strengthening the legal framework to combat human trafficking. To this end, the government enacted the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Ordinance, 2026.
Investigations and prosecutions of human trafficking cases have increased, while guidelines for identifying trafficking-related crimes and victims have been updated. The government has also piloted a digital system to ensure prompt assistance for victims and improve coordination among relevant agencies. In addition, it has strengthened protections for migrant workers to reduce their vulnerability to human trafficking.
However, the report identified several key areas in which Bangladesh had failed to meet the minimum standards.
It said fewer human traffickers had been convicted than in the previous year. The government had also failed to take adequate steps to combat trafficking within the country, while the prevalence of such crimes remained widespread.
The report further noted that fewer trafficking victims had been identified than in the previous year and that efforts to protect and rehabilitate victims remained inadequate. These shortcomings were particularly pronounced in the cases of Rohingya refugees and returning migrant workers.
The report also said the government had failed to eliminate the practice of requiring migrant workers to pay recruitment fees out of their own pockets. As a result, many workers had fallen into debt, increasing their vulnerability to human trafficking.
