Workplace Harassment

What this covers

The High Court Division’s 2009 guidelines in Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association v Government of Bangladesh require workplaces and educational institutions to have a complaint committee, keep complaints confidential and investigate them, and they operate as law until Parliament passes a dedicated statute. The Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Act 2026 now defines sexual harassment for workers, requires complaint committees with women’s representation, prohibits discrimination and bars retaliation against people who complain. A separate draft law on sexual harassment at workplaces and educational institutions was approved by the interim government in January 2026; as far as has been reported, it has not yet been enacted, so check its status before relying on it.

The internal complaint committee

Under the 2009 guidelines an employer should have a complaint committee, preferably headed by a woman, with a majority of women members and at least one member from outside the organisation. The complainant’s identity must be protected, and the committee should investigate and recommend action within the time the guidelines set. For workers covered by the Labour Act, the 2026 amendment puts the committee duty on a statutory footing.

Employment protections: discrimination, retaliation and maternity

The amended Labour Act prohibits direct and indirect discrimination on grounds including sex, religion, disability and political opinion, supports equal pay for equal work and prohibits blacklisting or punishing workers who complain. Women workers are entitled to maternity benefit, now 120 days of leave under the 2026 amendment, and an employer may not dismiss or give notice to a woman in the period around childbirth that the Act protects. Loss of job or pay on these grounds is claimed through the grievance and Labour Court route.

Criminal cases and online harassment

Sexual assault, attempted rape and sexual oppression of women and children are tried under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act 2000, as amended in 2026, by the special Tribunal. Words or gestures intended to insult a woman’s modesty are an offence under the Penal Code. Harassment by fake profiles, leaked images, threats or AI-altered content online falls under the Cyber Security Act 2026, and a criminal complaint can run alongside the workplace complaint.

What helps

• A dated written account of each incident and any witnesses
• Screenshots, emails, chat messages or call logs, with links and times visible
• Your appointment letter, service rules and any anti-harassment policy
• Any complaint you made and the employer’s reply or silence
• Medical records, and letters showing transfer, demotion, pay cut or termination after complaining

Where it is handled, and how long it takes

The first step is usually the employer’s complaint committee. Dismissal, pay loss or discrimination claims by workers go to the Labour Court, with the short grievance deadlines under the Labour Act. Criminal matters start with the police or a complaint petition to the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal or the Cyber Tribunal. Where an institution ignores the 2009 guidelines, a writ petition in the High Court Division is possible.