Bangladesh has taken significant steps to address workplace sexual harassment by incorporating provisions into the Bangladesh Labour Act 2006 and ratifying the ILO Convention No. 190 (C190) on Violence and Harassment. As the Bangladesh Labour Rules are currently under review, there is a critical opportunity to establish a functional, trustworthy framework for enforcement. C190, which enters into force for Bangladesh on 20 November 2026, mandates an inclusive, gender-responsive approach to prevention, protection, and investigation.

For organisations, prevention and effective response are not simply compliance costs; they are part of good governance, risk management and institutional performance.

To ensure these commitments are effective, the legal framework must be coherent. Key recommendations include:

• Clarifying the relationship between sections 23, 24, 332, and 332A of the Act to link investigations with disciplinary processes.
• Operationalising Section 332 through the Rules to define workplace policies, risk assessments, and training.
• Establishing clear procedural and institutional rules for the five-member complaints committee under Section 332A, ensuring its independence and mandate.
• Creating an end-to-end process for handling complaints, from initial reporting to final decision-making and remedy.
• Implementing robust protections against retaliation and victimisation while balancing confidentiality with procedural fairness.

A credible system is essential not only for worker safety and dignity but also for maintaining institutional trust, meeting international commitments, and ensuring continued market access, particularly regarding EU trade requirements.

বাংলাদেশ সময়: ২৩:৩৩:৩১   ১৪ বার পঠিত   #Bangladesh Labour Act  #Governance  #ILO Convention 190  #Labour Rights  #Legal Reform  #Sexual Harassment  #Workplace Safety