Photo: Collected
A country’s development cannot be measured by economic growth, infrastructure or industrialization alone. A productive workforce, a safe society, sound moral values and a young generation that grows up healthy are equally essential to sustainable development. It is precisely these areas that the spread of narcotics is damaging most. Drug addiction does not only ruin individual lives; it has become a serious threat to families, society, the economy and national security. Taking an effective and uncompromising stand against drugs must therefore now be one of Bangladesh’s foremost national priorities.
The BNP government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has adopted a zero-tolerance policy on drug control. If this stance is properly implemented, it could bring major change improving law and order, reducing economic losses and protecting future generations. Freeing Bangladesh from the curse of drugs would give fresh momentum to the country’s development.
Citing an estimate by the World Health Organization, it has been noted that drugs and smoking cost Bangladesh’s economy more than $10 billion every year. Drug use is driving up a range of illnesses and eroding people’s capacity to work. A large number of people, having fallen into addiction, have dropped out of normal working life. Beyond the personal and family toll, this is hampering national productivity. In other words, drugs are not merely a health problem — they are a major obstacle to Bangladesh’s economic progress.
Drugs also play a significant role in rising crime. Addiction creates a constant need for money, and to meet it many turn to theft, mugging, robbery and violent crime. Organized criminal gangs grow up around the drug trade, undermining public safety and law and order. Most worrying of all, the spread of drugs is squandering the potential of the young. A section of the very youth who should be driving the economy and providing future leadership is being led astray by narcotics.
The experience of countries around the world shows that strict laws, impartial enforcement and effective state surveillance play a vital role in controlling drugs. Lee Kuan Yew, founder and former prime minister of modern Singapore, regarded drugs as one of the main sources of crime. The core of his thinking was that without curbing the spread of drugs, it would be difficult to build a safe and orderly society.
His government’s hard line was reflected in the Misuse of Drugs Act, enacted in 1973. The law provided for the death penalty for possessing or trafficking drugs above specified quantities. Despite international criticism, Lee Kuan Yew defended the law as vital to the country’s security and social stability. Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau was given sweeping powers to conduct anti-drug operations, searches and surveillance. Through strict enforcement and state control, Singapore came to be known as one of the world’s most successful countries in drug control, and the policy played an important part in establishing its security and order.
Several other countries follow a similarly tough approach. Malaysia prescribes the death penalty for trafficking certain types of drugs, and possession and use are also punishable by imprisonment and fines. Foreign nationals caught with drugs may also face action under immigration law. Thailand imposes severe penalties for serious drug trafficking offences. In Saudi Arabia, drug trafficking can carry the death penalty. Kuwait, Qatar and various other Middle Eastern countries also impose harsh punishments for drug-related crimes. Indonesia, too, has the death penalty for drug trafficking.
The United States has long treated drug control as a key matter of national security and public health. In 1971, then US President Richard Nixon declared drugs one of the country’s chief enemies and launched a special campaign against them, which later became known as the “War on Drugs”. Among its main aims were to dismantle production, trafficking and supply networks and keep citizens safe. US anti-drug policy subsequently expanded to the international stage. However, the effectiveness of the policy and its various human rights implications have been the subject of long-running debate.
The anti-drug campaign of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has also drawn worldwide attention and criticism. As mayor of Davao City, he took a hard line against drugs and crime, and he continued the policy after becoming president in 2016. Many people were killed in anti-drug operations carried out under his rule up to 2022. The legality of these killings and allegations of human rights violations sparked widespread international condemnation. In 2025 he was arrested and sent to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, the Netherlands, where he is currently facing trial. Although a section of the Philippine public supported his campaign, allegations of extrajudicial killings have cast serious doubt on its legitimacy. The Philippine experience is also a reminder that ignoring the law and human rights in the name of drug control can plunge a state into fresh crisis.
In Bangladesh’s context, the need to control drugs is even more pressing. Although anti-narcotics laws exist, questions over their proper enforcement have persisted for years. As a result, drug dealers have been able to build powerful networks in different areas. The supply and spread of drugs, from cities to villages, has reached an alarming level. Children, adolescents, young people and those of other ages are all at risk of addiction, damaging people’s capacity for work, their creativity and social values.
The link between drug addiction and various crimes is also becoming increasingly visible. Besides people turning to crime to fund their habit, the drug trade itself is fuelling clashes, murders, the use of firearms and smuggling. There are also concerns about the influence of drugs on violence against women and children, sexual violence and juvenile crime. There are fears that criminal gangs involved in the drug trade could expand illegal arms and human trafficking networks. In particular, the easy availability of drugs is a major concern behind the spread of teen gangs.
According to crime analysts, drugs are directly or indirectly linked to many crimes in the country. If drug supply and sales networks can be broken, crime could be reduced significantly. But raids alone will not provide a lasting solution. Effective surveillance must be established at every stage — production, import, transport, supply and retail sale.
In the past, various governments in Bangladesh announced tough stances on drugs, but in reality the powerful drug syndicates could never be fully broken. Allegations of political influence and patronage have surfaced repeatedly. There have even been allegations that people involved in the drug trade used political affiliations to secure important positions. As a result, anti-drug drives have often been called into question.
After the present government took office, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said eradicating drugs would be a priority. He has directed the home minister to take the necessary measures and conduct operations across the country. Following the prime minister’s directive, the Ministry of Home Affairs has stepped up anti-drug activities. The home minister has told the Jatiya Sangsad that lists of drug dealers are being prepared and action is being taken against them.
Preparing such lists, however, is nothing new. In 2023, a division bench of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court ordered the government to submit a list of the country’s top drug dealers, with their names and addresses. It is alleged that although a list of around 3,000 drug dealers was prepared following that order, it was never submitted to the court for unknown reasons. Recently, citing a source at the Ministry of Home Affairs, it emerged that a list of 292 godfathers and 4,000 top drug dealers has been finalised. If effective action is taken based on this list, the anti-drug drive could become more fruitful.
The Inspector General of Police has also described the anti-drug drive as one of the police’s top priorities, and law enforcement agencies across the country have been instructed to remain alert. But alongside operations, it is essential to remove existing weaknesses in the investigation and trial of drug cases. Many of those arrested in anti-drug raids are later released on bail at various stages of the legal process. Many cases fail to reach the desired outcome because of a lack of witnesses and weak evidence.
Under existing law, the maximum punishment for serious offences such as drug smuggling is death. But having harsh penalties on the statute book is not enough to control drugs. Reliable investigation, sufficient evidence, speedy trials and effective enforcement of verdicts must be ensured to prove crimes. At the same time, the sources of money behind the drug trade, its influential patrons and organised networks must be identified and dealt with.
To succeed in the fight against drugs, a social movement must be built alongside state initiatives. Families, educational institutions, religious and social organizations and public representatives must share this responsibility. Members of parliament could be given specific action plans to make their constituencies drug-free. Running awareness, prevention and rehabilitation programmes with the involvement of local people would have a positive impact.
It is also essential not to treat drug addicts merely as criminals but to ensure they have access to treatment and rehabilitation. At the same time, strict legal action must be taken against drug producers, suppliers, dealers and the patrons of syndicates. It must be ensured that the political identity or social influence of those involved in the drug trade in no way obstructs enforcement of the law.
Effective use of dope tests is also important in controlling drugs. Although there is an initiative to make dope tests mandatory for drivers, how effectively it is being implemented needs to be reviewed. Mandatory dope testing for recruitment to government jobs must also be effectively enforced. In addition, introducing dope tests through lawful and scientific methods for university admission, professional training and recruitment to high-risk occupations could be considered. However, personal privacy, due process and the reliability of such tests must be ensured.
Most important of all is ending political shelter and patronage for drug dealers. Experience shows that with every change of power, a section of drug dealers tries to attach itself to the new political camp. Political patronage makes criminals stronger and makes it difficult for law enforcement agencies to take impartial action against them. To break out of this situation, all political parties must reach a consensus not to shelter drug dealers, smugglers and the godfathers of drug syndicates.
Drug control is directly tied to Bangladesh’s economic progress, social security and the protection of future generations. The anti-drug drive therefore cannot be seen as a temporary programme; it must be a long-term commitment of the state. Only a coordinated approach — strict enforcement of the law, impartial justice, political will, social awareness and the rehabilitation of addicts — can tackle this crisis.
Taking a stand against drugs is a major test for the government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Success in this war would not only bring crime under control but also pave the way for protecting the country’s working-age population, raising economic productivity and building a safe society. Establishing a drug-free Bangladesh would make the country’s progress stronger still. For victory over drugs means a major triumph on the path to a healthy, safe, productive and prosperous Bangladesh.
