Nine rights organisations yesterday unveiled a draft copy of a law that they are proposing the government to formulate in order to prevent sexual harassment at workplaces and educational institutions.

Some of the punishments under the draft proposal include termination or expulsion of an offender from his or her employment or educational institution, forced retirement, compelling the offender to pay compensation to the victim and taking legal action under existing criminal laws.

Fair Wear Foundation (FWF), Mondiaal FNV, Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) and Karmojibi Nari are among the nine organisations that prepared the draft of the proposed law based on a High Court verdict that had directed the government to formulate such a law.

FWF organised a seminar at The Daily Star Centre yesterday to unveil the draft proposed law titled "Prevention and Protection of Sexual Harassment at Workplace and Educational Institution Act 2018”.

Making a direct or indirect unwanted sexual advancement; sexual insinuations and innuendos; sending, sharing, drawing, displaying or posting unwanted sexual materials via mail, text message, Facebook or any medium of social media, at any place of workplace or educational institutions including classrooms, toilets and furniture; and showing pornography are some of the punishable offences included in the draft of the proposed law.

Enticing or making attempt to have sexual intercourse with someone abusing institutional and professional position; and taking objectionable still photographs or recording videos of someone and displaying or sharing those with an intent to blackmail the person are also punishable under the draft proposal.

Each employer and educational institution will be required to form a "Complaint Committee" which will investigate and take necessary action against an offender under the proposed law.

Failure to comply with the law is also made a punishable offence for the authorities in the proposed draft law.

Speaking at the seminar, Nahida Anjum Kona, the lead lawyer preparing the proposal, said they will soon finalise the proposed law and submit it to

the government in June this year.

"We hope the government will accept the proposal and formulate a law. Sexual harassment at workplace and educational institutions, particularly against women, will reduce significantly if such law can be implemented, "she said.

Nazma Akter, president of Sammilito Garment Shramik Federation, said there is a labour law in the country, but it does not cover all workplaces. As such, a new law is essential to prevent sexual harassment at all workplaces.

Catelene Passchier, president of Workers' Group of the International Labour Organisation (ILO); Alexander Kohnstamm, executive director of FWF; and Bablur Rahman, country representative of FWF Bangladesh; also spoke, among others.