Earlier this week, Bangladesh Bank found itself at the center of a major controversy after it issued a directive banning its women employees from wearing short dresses, clothes with short sleeves, and leggings in the workplace. The order also recommended that women staff stick to more traditional attire such as sarees or salwar kameez. Furthermore, it went as far as suggesting that women wear headscarves or hijabs along with formal footwear like sandals or shoes. For male employees, the directive clearly stated that jeans and chino trousers were not permitted. The circular also required every department within the bank to appoint a designated officer responsible for ensuring that all employees strictly followed these new dress code guidelines. Anyone failing to comply was warned that they could face disciplinary action.
The directive, once made public, immediately sparked widespread outrage across the country. Social media platforms were flooded with strong reactions from both the general public and prominent voices, criticizing the move as regressive and authoritarian. Many people went so far as to compare the government’s actions to the Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan, which is infamous for its strict imposition of dress codes on women. One social media user labeled it a “new Taliban era under a meticulous dictator.” This backlash highlighted the growing concern among citizens over increased control of personal freedoms and a shift toward more conservative, enforced social norms.
Fauzia Moslem, the president of the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, strongly condemned the move. Speaking to the local press, she explained that such a rule was unprecedented in the country’s history. She noted that this step appeared to be part of a broader cultural push aimed at shaping society according to a particular ideology. She argued that this trend is a threat to the values of equality and progress that the nation has fought hard to uphold. Facing the intense criticism, the Bangladesh Bank eventually reversed the directive. Arif Hossain Khan, a spokesperson for the bank, clarified that the circular was merely advisory and that there was no obligation placed on female employees to wear hijabs or burqas. His statement attempted to calm the storm but came only after public discontent had already reached significant levels.
The controversy around the dress code came at a time when Bangladesh is already experiencing mounting pressure from conservative religious groups. These groups have been openly opposing reforms aimed at providing equal rights for women, including proposed changes to property laws. In fact, just last month, a group of Islamist protesters criticized university professors, branding them as "anti-hijab." Another hardline religious group, Jamaat-Char Monai, has publicly stated its desire to turn Bangladesh into a Sharia-compliant state, similar to Afghanistan. Back in May, thousands of activists from the group Hefazat-e-Islam gathered near Dhaka University. They carried banners with slogans rejecting Western laws and calling on the country to rise against modern reforms, particularly those affecting women’s rights.
Amid this rising wave of conservatism, the government of Bangladesh also introduced a new ordinance that has caused additional concern among citizens. The law was passed discreetly late at night and deals with protests by government employees. According to the new rule, employees who are seen as obstructing or refusing to follow government orders can be dismissed from their positions or demoted. The language of the ordinance was also changed—what was previously termed “disobedience” is now referred to as “misconduct disrupting public duty.” However, this change in wording does little to alter the effect of the law, which many see as a direct attempt to silence government workers and strip them of their right to protest or express dissatisfaction. Even more alarming is the fact that the new law provides no formal process for employees to appeal such decisions, leaving them entirely at the mercy of the authorities.
