UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: A policy brief toward a Bangladesh action plan* By Community Development Association (CDA) Land, Law and Conflict in Bangladesh W ith globalization and the growth of multinational businesses, the adverse impact of corporate actors on human rights has been the subject of increasing attention. The deaths of over 1,100 Bangladeshi workers making Joe Fresh garments in a horrific factory collapse in 2013 brought these concerns to the forefront (Kim, 2018). The UNGP BHR is especially relevant in Bangladesh where over 70 percent of the total land area is agricultural. Some 2,096 bighas (530 hectares) of farmland and water bodies are lost per day to non-agricultural uses in the decades since 2003, according to a study conducted by Barkat et al. (2014). Small, medium, and large business enterprises are gradually becoming involved in agricultural investments. Land Law and Land Rights Most of the cases pending at the courts of Bangladesh involve land disputes either directly or indirectly. However, the country’s land system is largely based on the old laws enacted during the British and Pakistan period. The land administration, land management and land dispute settlement system have not developed in Bangladesh in the spirit of land governance and amicable dispute settlement. Land can be owned by an individual, a cooperative, and the State under various legislations in Bangladesh. * This is an abridged version of the policy paper prepared by Community Development Association (CDA) for the regional initiative “Defending Land Rights and Human Rights Defenders.” The document summarizes the major issues and recommendations emanating from the workshops organized by CDA in partnership with the members of the National Engagement Strategy-Bangladesh and National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh (NHRCB). For more details, contact edcda08@gmail.com. Citation: Community Development Association (CDA). (2018). UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: A policy brief toward a Bangladesh action plan. In ANGOC (Ed.) Upholding Land Rights Amidst the Land Rush: A situationer on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in selected countries in Asia (pp. 31-36). Quezon City: ANGOC and KPA. ANGOC and KPA 31