Seventeen years after the High Court directed the government to take steps to prevent sexual harassment at workplaces and educational institutions, Bangladesh is yet to enact a comprehensive law on the issue.
Bangladesh Mahila Parishad on Wednesday urged the authorities to end the prolonged delay and immediately enact and implement the proposed legislation.
The demand was made at a press conference at the National Press Club. Advocate Masuda Rehana Begum, joint general secretary of the organisation, presented the written statement.
The High Court issued the directives on 14 May, 2009, following a writ petition filed by the Bangladesh National Woman Lawyers’ Association.
The court ordered educational institutions and workplaces to form complaint committees to deal with sexual harassment and also directed the government to formulate a law.
Mahila Parishad said it had been campaigning for legislation to prevent sexual harassment and abuse since 2002. It later held consultations with teachers, students, parents and other stakeholders to build public support for such a law.
Following the court order, the organisation prepared a draft law with expert assistance and submitted it to the Law Commission and the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs in 2010.
Despite repeated consultations and advocacy efforts involving government agencies and rights organisations, the legislation has yet to become law.
Draft ordinance gets nod
The process has seen some movement in recent years.
The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs held stakeholder meetings on 1 and 20 October, 2024, to finalise a draft law aimed at preventing sexual harassment and protecting people at workplaces and educational institutions.
On 29 January, 2026, the draft Sexual Harassment Prevention Ordinance, 2026 received in-principle approval from the Advisory Council.
The draft was later reviewed by the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and sent back to the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, according to Mahila Parishad.
The organisation said women and girls continue to face sexual harassment and stalking, making immediate enactment of the law essential.
Calls for stronger legal safeguards
At the press conference, the organisation also called for updating the definitions of stalking, sexual harassment and abuse under Section 10 of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, 2000.
It demanded modernisation of relevant provisions of the Penal Code, 1860, along with mandatory complaint committees at workplaces and educational institutions and regular monitoring of their activities.
The speakers also stressed the need to raise public awareness about sexual harassment as a punishable offence, include prevention measures in educational curricula and make young people more aware of the issue.
They urged the administration and law enforcement agencies to take a more active role in preventing and addressing sexual harassment.
‘Stuck in repeated reviews’
Mahila Parishad President Fauzia Moslem said repeated delays and poor coordination among ministries were hindering efforts to enact and implement laws protecting women from violence.
“Despite preparing a comprehensive law with input from women’s organisations and experts, the process remains stuck in repeated scrutiny and reviews,” she said.
She called for a clear government commitment to enact the law quickly and stressed the need for effective implementation of the High Court’s directives.
Bangladesh National Women Lawyers’ Association President Advocate Salma Ali said the 2009 High Court directives needed to be fully reflected in legislation to ensure women’s safety at workplaces.
She demanded five-member complaint committees with clear investigative deadlines, accountability for non-compliance, mandatory annual reports and an effective monitoring mechanism.
Representatives of the Bangladesh National Women Lawyers’ Association, Ain o Salish Kendra, BRAC, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), National Girl Child Advocacy Forum and other women’s and human rights organisations attended the press conference.
