Unveiling Seafood Slavery in Bangladesh's Artisanal Marine Fisheries: Advocating for Effective Legal Safeguards

This research paper critically examines the issue of seafood slavery within Bangladesh's artisanal fisheries, focusing on the inadequacies of the current legal framework in addressing this grave human rights concern.Artisanal fisheries, despite their significant role in the national economy and sustenance of local communities, have become hotbeds for exploitative practices, including forced labor and human trafficking.Quantitative and qualitative analyses identify the primary legal shortfalls that contribute to the persistence of seafood slavery in this sector, including ineffective enforcement mechanisms, a lack of comprehensive legislation specific to the nuances of seafood slavery, and insufficient awareness among both law enforcers and the community.The paper proposes targeted legal reforms aimed at closing these gaps, enhancing enforcement strategies, and improving the socio-economic conditions of those within the artisanal fishing communities.