Labor Migration, Human Trafficking and Rule of Law in Bangladesh : Challenges in protection and prosecution

Labour migration is one of the vital drivers of the Bangladesh economy. It has been providing employment opportunities and contributing in generating significant remittance inflows for the last four decades. However, the process of migration exposes workers to numerous risks, including trafficking, debt bondage, and other forms of exploitation. Due to institutional failure, Bangladesh has gradually emerged as a fertile land of human trafficking and serious violation of human rights. Despite adopting “The Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Ordinance, 2026” and key international Conventions, the enforcement of these laws remains weak to tackle human trafficking due to low prosecution and lesser conviction rates, weak institutions, and corruption. This study adopts a doctrinal and comparative approach, analyzing domestic and international laws, case laws, and policy documents to uncover the gap in Bangladesh’s legal commitment and prosecution inefficiencies to provide justice and protection to victims and deter traffickers. This study recommends that without structural reform of adjudicating institutions and the introduction of more victim-centric approaches, Bangladesh cannot tackle human trafficking sustainably. This study also proposes concrete legislative and institutional reforms and modernization, as well as enhanced cross-border cooperation. These recommendations contribute to both policy-making matters along with protection and the prosecution mechanism.