On 8 November 2025, the Citizen’s Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh, in collaboration with Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF), and Nagorik Uddyog, organised a multi-stakeholder public discussion on the proposed Anti-Discrimination Act 2025. The event held in Dhaka brought together legal experts, civil society representatives, policymakers, political leaders, development partners, and university students to critically examine the scope, relevance, and enforceability of the proposed law. The initiative was supported by Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Bangladesh.
The discussion was moderated by Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, Convenor of the Citizen’s Platform and Distinguished Fellow of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD). In his opening remarks, he traced the evolution of the Anti-Discrimination Act, noting that although the draft law was first placed before the authorities in 2022, it failed to progress due to the lack of political commitment and institutional inefficiency under the previous government. He emphasised that addressing discrimination in a meaningful way requires a legally enforceable framework grounded in constitutional guarantees, which the proposed Anti-Discrimination Law seeks to establish.
The keynote presentation was delivered by Barrister Sara Hossain, Honorary Executive Director of BLAST. She outlined the core elements of the proposed law, focusing on who faces discrimination, who bears responsibility, and what legal remedies should be available to victims. She explained that the justice mechanisms envisioned under the law fall broadly into constitutional and legal remedies, and highlighted that the conceptual groundwork for the legislation dates back to 2013. She stressed that the law must clearly define accountability and ensure accessible avenues for justice.
Ms Shaheen Anam, Core Group Member of the Citizens’ Platform and Executive Director of MJF, recalled that the draft law had been placed before the parliamentary standing committee in 2022 but was never enacted. Emphasising the urgency of the current moment, she called for the immediate adoption and effective monitoring of the law, noting that civil society organisations are prepared to support oversight and implementation efforts.
Mr Zakir Hossain, Chief Executive of Nagorik Uddyog, cautioned that the objective should not be merely to enact a law, but to ensure its practical effectiveness. He argued that the earlier draft lacked impact and reiterated the need for a robust and enforceable anti-discrimination framework capable of delivering real change.
Advocate Arif Khan, Assistant Attorney General and Advocate of the Appellate Division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court, highlighted major procedural shortcomings in the draft bill. He noted that victims currently face an excessively complex process, having to pass through multiple stages to file a case. With effective coordination, he suggested, the ordinance could be finalised and enacted within a short timeframe.
Ms Nirupa Dewan, Member of the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission and former Member of the National Human Rights Commission, expressed optimism that the prevailing political environment—marked by increased public awareness and reform initiatives—creates a favourable opportunity for the bill’s passage, provided collective effort is sustained.
Representatives from the private sector raised concerns regarding compliance burdens. Mr Kamran T. Rahman, President of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), cautioned that small and medium enterprises already face multiple regulatory requirements and stressed that the new law should avoid imposing disproportionate obligations. Echoing this concern from a labour perspective, Mr Asif Ibrahim, Core Group Member of the Citizens’ Platform and a representative of the garment industry, emphasised that eliminating workplace discrimination also requires accountability from international buyers, not only domestic employers.
From the development community, Mr Dragan Popovic, Senior Programme Advisor (Governance) at UNDP, noted that while the Constitution of Bangladesh is widely regarded as inclusive, significant gaps remain within the legal framework. Strengthening institutional capacity, he argued, is essential for translating constitutional values into practice.
Political leaders and academics further broadened the discussion. Mr Khaled Saifullah of the National Citizen’s Party underscored the importance of disaggregated data to accurately assess the scale and nature of discrimination. Mr Abdullah Kafi Ratan of the Communist Party of Bangladesh highlighted that discrimination against Dalit communities is deeply rooted in societal attitudes that cannot be dismantled through legislation alone, stressing the need for sustained grassroots movements. Subrata Chowdhury of the Gono Forum emphasised the role of a politically independent and vibrant civil society, while Dr S R Osmani of Ulster University argued that discrimination can only be eliminated when citizens possess both the right and the capacity to question authority. A.M. Mahbub Uddin Khokon, President of the Bangladesh Supreme Court Bar Association, highlighted the need for an independent judiciary to effectively address discrimination embedded across social and institutional structures.
In his closing remarks, the Attorney General for Bangladesh, Mr Md Asaduzzaman, stressed the importance of drafting a clear, actionable Anti-Discrimination Law that avoids over-categorisation, specifies penalties, and ensures swift access to justice. He proposed three immediate steps: issuing the ordinance during the interim government’s tenure, incorporating the law into political party manifestos, and passing it as permanent legislation in the next Parliament.
The open-floor discussion reflected the breadth of discrimination experienced across society. Participants raised concerns about the exclusion of Sufi practitioners, workplace discrimination against women—particularly during maternity—and the tendency to subsume the rights of persons with disabilities under broader marginalised categories. Representatives from Dalit, Urdu-speaking, and homeless communities shared lived experiences of exclusion, while discussions on gender identity highlighted the need to balance dignity, privacy, and safety. Participants also pointed to the neglect of domestic workers’ rights and regional economic disparities, particularly in northern Bangladesh. A key recommendation emerging from the discussion was the inclusion of a mandatory annual report on discrimination to enhance transparency and accountability.
Overall, the dialogue reaffirmed that the Anti-Discrimination Act 2025 represents a critical opportunity to strengthen Bangladesh’s legal and institutional commitment to equality. Participants agreed that meaningful progress will depend not only on the enactment of the law, but also on its enforceability, institutional readiness, and sustained engagement from civil society, political actors, and citizens alike.
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