Iit is evident that even though under the Constitution of Bangladesh all forms of forced labour are prohibited, there are provisions in various laws under which labour may be imposed amounting to ‘forced labour’ within the meaning of the ILO Conventions. These laws are: The Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, 1952 (Act No. LIII of 1952), The Essential Service (Second) Ordinance, 1958 (Ordinance No. XIV), The Special Powers Act 1974 (Act No. XIV of 1974), The Penal Code 1860 (A ctN o. XLV of 1860), The Industrial Relations Ordinance, 1969 (Ordinance No. XXIII), The Control of
Employment Ordinance, 1965 (Ordinance No. XXXII of 1965), The Post Office Act, 1898, (Act No. VI of 1898), The Bangladesh Merchant Shipping Ordinance, 1983, (Ordinance No. XXVI) and The Services (Temporary Powers) Ordinance, 1963 (Ordinance
No II of 1963. It may be recalled that our Constitution guarantees of prohibition against forced labour and Article 26 of the
Constitution provides that all existing laws inconsistent with the fundamental rights as provided in Part III shall to the extent of
inconsistency become void on the commencement of this Constitution and the state shall not make any law inconsistent with
those rights.
Source:
http://journal.library.du.ac.bd/index.php?journal=DULJ&page=article&op=viewFile&path[]=1421&path[]=1361