DHAKA (AFP) - Bangladesh's high court moved Thursday to plug a gaping hole in the country's laws by introducing a first-ever ban on sexual harassment, an official said.

The decision was immediately hailed by activists as a major step forward for the protection of women in the South Asian nation.

Deputy Attorney-General Rajik Al Jalil told AFP the new guidelines covered verbal abuse and physical attacks, including the sending of suggestive text messages.

He said the ban was an interim measure until new legislation could be passed in parliament. Until now sexual harassment has not been considered a criminal act.

"The high court laid down these guidelines to stop sexual harassment in education institutions and the workplace," he said.

No punishment had been finalised and each offence would be considered on a case-by-case basis, he added.

Rehana Sultana of the Bangladesh National Women's Lawyers Association, who helped petition for the guidelines, said women in Bangladesh had often felt helpless and ashamed to speak out if they were harassed because there was no law to protect them.

"Sexual harassment against women is endemic throughout the country in educational institutions and work places and there's been no law of the land to stop it."

The issue came to light in August 2008 when several universities received a spate of complaints by female students prompting the Ministry of Education to issue a statement promising to introduce new measures.