As the country’s law enforcement agencies focus on preparations for the 13th parliamentary election, a different battle appears to be losing momentum. Across cities and villages, drug availability has increased noticeably, with users and residents reporting that narcotics are now easier to obtain than at any time in recent months.
Police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and intelligence agencies are currently preoccupied with election-related security, including political rallies, processions and the movement of party activists. That focus has coincided with an apparent slowdown in specialised anti-narcotics operations by the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC), creating what observers describe as an enforcement vacuum.
The timing is significant. Demand for drugs traditionally rises during election periods, when heightened political activity, stress and cash circulation fuel consumption. Winter also brings a seasonal increase in drug use. This year, the overlap of both factors has driven up demand for substances such as yaba, crystal meth, LSD, phensedyl and cannabis. In many areas, dealers are operating openly, offering home delivery and selling through courier services and social media platforms.
The issue has been acknowledged at the highest level. At a law and order core committee meeting at the Ministry of Home Affairs on 4 January, senior officials discussed the growing spread of narcotics and agreed to intensify anti-drug operations. However, visible results on the ground have so far been limited.
Arup Ratan Chowdhury, a doctor and founder of the anti-addiction organisation MANAS, says traffickers are deliberately exploiting the election period. He notes that young voters have become a primary target and that drugs are increasingly being marketed through digital platforms. According to him, narcotics are also being concealed in e-cigarettes and promoted at social gatherings to expand consumption. He has warned that adulterated alcohol, including whisky mixed with steroids, poses serious health risks, ranging from organ damage to death.
Police acknowledge the scale of the challenge. Additional Inspector General Khondoker Rafiqul Islam told TIMES of Bangladesh that narcotics remain one of the main drivers of crime. He said that ahead of the election, law enforcement has prioritised extortion, illegal arms recovery and drug control, insisting that anti-narcotics efforts remain part of the broader crime prevention strategy.
The narcotics market is diverse and expanding. Authorities list a wide range of substances in circulation, including yaba, magic mushrooms, DMT, LSD, crystal meth, heroin, cannabis, phensedyl, rectified spirit, locally brewed alcohol, injectable opioids and industrial chemicals used for intoxication. Yet despite the scale of the problem, the DNC’s operational presence appears limited.
Questions have also been raised about the agency’s internal governance. In the days leading up to the election schedule announcement, more than 160 DNC officials were transferred, triggering allegations of syndicate influence, corruption and strategic postings in lucrative urban areas. Critics argue that long-standing networks within the agency have allowed certain officers to remain in Dhaka for years, while enforcement elsewhere remains weak.
The DNC director general, Md Hasan Maruf, told TIMES that the home affairs adviser had issued special instructions to step up anti-narcotics operations ahead of the election. He said that, in addition to routine enforcement, special drives would begin shortly.
Responding to a separate question, he said officials who had remained in the same postings for three to four years were transferred before the election schedule was announced, adding that the ministry was aware of the matter.
Scrutiny has also fallen on the regulation of licensed alcohol outlets. There are 237 licensed bars in the country, along with bonded and general warehouses, distilleries and a brewery. Bar operators and officials allege that oversight is minimal and that illegal alcohol frequently enters the market through smuggling and so-called “luggage party” routes. Despite strict rules governing operating hours and permitted entertainment, many bars reportedly stay open well beyond authorised times and host disco and DJ events under licences meant for live or classical music.
Several bar operators claim that large unofficial payments are required to secure and maintain licences, with monthly bribes allegedly paid to both DNC officials and local police. Senior DNC officials deny these claims, insisting that inspections are conducted regularly and that allegations of extortion are unfounded.
DNC Deputy Director (Administration and Finance) Rajib Mina told TIMES that regular operations were ongoing. He said no “surprise postings” had taken place and dismissed allegations of monthly bribes as unfounded. He also claimed that bars and warehouses were being inspected and monitored on a routine basis.
At street level, drug availability is unmistakable. In Dhaka’s alleyways, slums and rail corridors, narcotics are sold openly at all hours. From Karwan Bazar and Tejgaon to Gulshan, Uttara and Old Dhaka, residents describe dealers calling out to potential buyers in public. Children and adolescents are frequently used as sellers, particularly along railway lines, where traffickers exploit law enforcement’s reluctance to arrest minors.
In informal settlements such as Korail, Geneva Camp, Mohammadpur and Mirpur, drug trading is deeply entrenched. According to ICDDR,B estimates, around 40 million people live in Dhaka’s slums, many of which have become hubs for narcotics distribution. Local residents say police operations often target small-time sellers, while major traffickers remain untouched.
Public health experts are particularly concerned about reports of steroid-laced alcohol being sold in some upscale bars. Doctors warn that prolonged consumption can lead to severe cardiovascular complications, organ failure and addiction.
Bangladesh’s drug problem is also deeply transnational. Narcotics flow into the country from both Myanmar and India, crossing porous borders through river routes, rail networks and remote land crossings. Law enforcement officials estimate that dozens of illicit drug manufacturing units operate in neighbouring regions, producing phensedyl alternatives and synthetic drugs specifically for the Bangladeshi market.
BGB insists that border security remains a priority. Lieutenant Colonel Md Mahbub Murshed Rahman, director of operations, said the force maintains zero tolerance toward smuggling and continues to operate under strict government directives.
