BD bolster anti-trafficking measures: US TIP report

Bangladesh has been placed in Tier 2 in the US Department of State's 2025 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, recognizing the country's significant and sustained progress in combating human trafficking despite ongoing challenges linked to governance transitions and global migration pressures, reports BSS.

"The Government of Bangladesh does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so. The government demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared with the previous reporting period; therefore, Bangladesh remained on Tier 2," read the report.

According to the report, Bangladesh has made notable advances in victim protection, institutional capacity building, and inter-agency coordination to address trafficking in persons.

The report commended the government for increasing victim identification and protection services, expanding training for frontline officials, and formally adopting a National Referral Mechanism (NRM), a milestone that strengthens the country's structured response to trafficking.

The government identified 1,462 trafficking victims, including 144 sex trafficking victims, 285 forced labour victims, and 1,033 victims of unspecified forms of trafficking. This compares with 1,210 victims identified in the previous reporting period.

After identification, the government referred the victims to protection services, said the report.

Authorities also provided access to health care, legal aid, and shelter through centers operated by the Women and Children Affairs, Social Welfare and Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment ministries.