US and Bangladesh intensify collaboration to curb human trafficking, with significant strides in victim protection amid persistent challenges in prosecutions.
The United States and Bangladesh are ramping up joint initiatives to combat human trafficking, as detailed in the latest US State Department report, highlighting progress in victim identification while underscoring gaps in enforcement.
Bangladesh Human Trafficking US: Tier 2 Status Affirmed
DHAKA, Monday, October 04, 2025 – The United States has recognised Bangladesh’s significant efforts to eliminate human trafficking, maintaining the country on Tier 2 of the Trafficking in Persons Report for the sixth consecutive year. This assessment, released by the US Department of State on September 29, 2025, evaluates actions from April 2024 to March 2025.
Bangladesh human trafficking remains a pressing concern, affecting thousands of citizens through forced labour and sex exploitation both domestically and abroad. The government investigated 975 cases involving 4,042 suspects during the period, including 172 sex trafficking cases and 682 labour trafficking instances. How? Through enhanced training for officials and adoption of a National Referral Mechanism. The report notes increasing victim referrals to protection services, yet calls for stronger prosecutions.
Nut Graph: Regional Stakes in South Asia
Human trafficking undermines economic stability and human rights across South Asia, where porous borders facilitate cross-border exploitation. Bangladesh serves as a source, transit, and destination country, with victims often trafficked to India, Gulf states, and Southeast Asia. This scourge fuels organised crime, exacerbates poverty, and displaces vulnerable groups like Rohingya refugees.
US engagement bolsters regional security by promoting accountability, potentially reducing migration pressures and enhancing labour rights. For South Asia, sustained Bangladesh efforts eliminate trafficking US aid could set precedents for neighbours like India and Pakistan, also on Tier 2, fostering a unified front against transnational networks.
Progress in Victim Protection and Identification
Bangladesh demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared to the prior year, according to the 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report. Authorities formally adopted victim identification guidelines for frontline officials, leading to more trafficking victims being recognised and referred to services. Training on trauma-informed care reached law enforcement, labour inspectors, and health providers, improving responses to survivors’ needs.
The government identified and protected more victims, including through district-level Counter Trafficking Committees that coordinate with civil society. Local initiatives, such as education grants in Faridpur for daughters of women in commercial sex, aim to break cycles of vulnerability. For Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, efforts focused on prevention, though protection gaps persist due to restricted movement in shelters.
US aid plays a pivotal role in these advancements. In February 2024, the United States launched the AugroJatra project to shield climate-vulnerable fishers and farmers from trafficking risks. Funded by the US Department of State, the initiative provides evidence-based strategies to the Bangladeshi government on mitigating climate-induced migration vulnerabilities.
Helen La Lime, then US Ambassador to Bangladesh, stated: “The AugroJatra project will help the Government of Bangladesh better understand how climate change impacts fishers and farmers and provide evidence about the best actions to take to mitigate the risks of increasing trafficking in persons among these vulnerable populations.”
This aligns with broader US support. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) contributed to anti-trafficking programs, including survivor-centred services at migration information centres.
Al-Amin Noyon, a Bangladeshi anti-trafficking hero honoured in the 2024 TIP Report release by Secretary Antony J. Blinken, manages a centre that assisted 35,000 returning victims and migrants. Blinken remarked during the June 24, 2024, event: “They are courageous individuals who are driving change in the face of daunting obstacles, often at great personal risk.”
Challenges in Law Enforcement and Prosecutions
Despite gains, Bangladesh human trafficking US assessments reveal setbacks. Law enforcement efforts declined, with fewer investigations, prosecutions, and convictions of traffickers. Courts often imposed fines rather than prison terms, weakening deterrence. Corruption and official complicity hindered progress, with no convictions of implicated officials reported.
Internal trafficking, including sex trafficking and forced child labour, remains pervasive. Labour inspectors lack resources to monitor informal sectors, where bonded labour thrives. High recruitment fees for migrant workers, permitted by policy, indebt individuals and heighten exploitation risks abroad. A 2024 report cited nearly all deceased Bangladeshi migrant workers dying from unnatural causes in destination countries like Gulf states.
The August 2024 civil unrest, leading to the government’s fall and police collapse, further disrupted consistent enforcement. Shelters, primarily in Dhaka, are overcapacity and ill-equipped for male or foreign victims. Reintegration services fall short, especially for returning migrants and Rohingya.
Bangladesh Efforts to Eliminate Trafficking US Aid: Key Collaborations
Bangladesh efforts eliminate trafficking US aid emphasise policy reforms. The government amended its overseas migrant worker’s policy in 2024 to oversee recruitment agents more stringently, boosting accountability. It extended the 2018-2022 National Action Plan through 2025, incorporating internal trafficking for the first time.
US aid totals underscore commitment. From 2021 to 2024, the US disbursed USD 1.89 billion in development assistance to Bangladesh, the highest in South Asia, with portions targeting governance and civil society to combat trafficking. Specific anti-trafficking funding, including USD 272 million across 78 countries as of October 2024, supports projects like AugroJatra.
The US provided basic anti-trafficking training to Bangladeshi peacekeepers before deployments and diplomatic personnel. Coordination via the 2012 Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act prescribes penalties of five years to life imprisonment and fines of at least BDT 50,000 (USD 440). Bonded labour carries five to 12 years.
Joint initiatives include implementing the 2015 Memorandum of Understanding with India for victim repatriation. Bangladesh maintains Anti-Trafficking Tribunals in seven division capitals, though expansion to high-caseload areas is urged.
Background: Evolving Threat Landscape
Human trafficking in Bangladesh has intensified with climate change and economic pressures. Women and girls face forced labour and sex trafficking in India, Pakistan, and Gulf countries. Children comprise 40% of sex trafficking victims exploited abroad, per observers. Traffickers use sophisticated deception to delay missing persons reports.
The Rohingya crisis amplifies risks, with allegations of exploitation in camps. Digital tools increasingly facilitate recruitment, as noted in the 2024 TIP Report. US reports highlight how these networks enrich criminal organisations, prompting bilateral pressure for action.
Bangladesh’s Tier 2 status since 2020 reflects steady, if incomplete, compliance with the US Trafficking Victims Protection Act. Neighbours like Nepal linger on Tier 2 Watch List, while Afghanistan ranks Tier 3.
What’s Next: Prioritised Reforms
The 2025 report outlines 12 prioritised recommendations to elevate efforts. Bangladesh must ramp up investigations and prosecutions, including of complicit officials, with significant prison terms. Expand Anti-Trafficking Tribunals and labour inspector training to cover informal sectors.
Enhance victim services for all demographics, eliminate recruitment fees, and enforce penalties on fraudulent recruiters. For Rohingya, investigate trafficking claims and establish protection referrals. Adopt a revised National Action Plan with dedicated victim care resources.
US aid will likely focus on these, with ongoing projects like AugroJatra scaling up. Bangladesh plans pre-departure training for migrants on rights and justice access. Implementing the India MOU and ceasing penalties for trafficking-induced crimes are immediate goals. As Bangladesh human trafficking US partnerships evolve, these steps could propel the country toward Tier 1, signalling robust regional leadership.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, October 4th, 2025
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