Dr Md Tawohidul Haque, criminologist and associate professor at the Institute of Social Welfare and Research in Dhaka University, speaks with Marzana Tasnim of The Daily Star about the shifting drug scenario in Bangladesh, the failure of ‘zero tolerance’ policy, border smuggling, and the urgent need for structured rehabilitation.
A recent survey by Bangladesh Medical University found that around 82 lakh people use illicit drugs in the country, and nearly 90 percent of respondents said drugs are very easy to access. What do these findings reveal about the situation?
The statistics are frightening. They show that a large segment of our population is addicted, and the ease of access, both online and offline, is deeply concerning. When the availability of drugs increases in a society, the number of drug addicts naturally rises. While the study estimates around 82 lakh users, private information and our own assumptions suggest the actual number exceeds 1.5 crore. No matter how much the authorities talk about “zero tolerance” or how many measures the law enforcement agencies employ, they will bring no results at the end of the day if we cannot control the production of illicit drugs and their entry into the country. Easy availability completely defeats any recovery or enforcement efforts.
Respondents identified unemployment, peer pressure, and accessibility as the three main reasons for drug addiction. Are these factors sufficiently addressed in policy discussions?
They are major factors, but they are not unique to Bangladesh. There is no logical explanation for the idea that taking drugs will solve an unemployment situation. However, when an individual is unemployed for a long time, they become frustrated, lonely, and isolated. Under family and social pressure, they seek psychological relief and turn to drugs because they are readily available. Peer pressure is also universal, especially among school and college students. Personal observations show that most users in our country develop drug addiction during college, often beginning with smoking. When drugs are easily accessible, these triggers—frustration, unemployment, and peer pressure—become highly active, but without easy availability, people would seek healthier, alternative ways to cope.
The state currently lacks a proper system to address these root causes. We need our families, educational institutions, and religious and cultural bodies to actively build awareness and promote responsible behaviour. When these social institutions fail to engage, the tendency among young people to turn to drugs increases significantly. There is also a visible deficit in social movements to prevent this. Previously, social leaders were vocal against drugs. Now, those involved in the drug trade, their godfathers, and field-level dealers are so violent and dangerous that they attack anyone who protests.
Is there a realistic global model that Bangladesh can follow to control this problem?
Every country must design a model based on its own reality. A preventive model works best for us because most drugs available here are not locally produced; they come from outside. To be drug-free, the state must do two things: ensure zero drug production inside the country, and completely seal the borders, international couriers, and airports against drug entry.
In Bangladesh, the meaning of “zero tolerance” has become compromised. Some argue that we should control supply by controlling demand. It means that if people stop using drugs, dealers will stop importing. This demand-side model will not work here because supply comes first, and drugs are made available before people even become addicted. So, we must use a preventive model that completely cuts off the supply. Bangladesh is no longer in the initial stages of a drug problem; a large population has reached the final stages of addiction. Applying initial-stage solutions now will yield no results.
How do our neighbouring countries factor into this supply chain?
Reports and media sources indicate that there are numerous yaba factories along the borders of India and Myanmar. Unofficial information suggests that the majority of the yaba pills produced in these border factories are sold in Bangladesh. For producers, drugs are simply a profitable product, and Bangladesh is a lucrative market.
While we share a historical relationship with India, citizens expect two things: no border killings and no drug smuggling. Unfortunately, we have failed to keep our borders crime-free because of the immense financial transactions involved. If those tasked with border control and law enforcement fail to prevent these criminals, any internal discussion, research, or rehabilitation effort becomes futile.
Why is it so difficult for governments to get to the root of the drug trade?
Governments often prioritise popular rhetoric over strict implementation. While the number of arrests, cases, and drug seizures is high, the trade continues due to procedural loopholes. Cases are often drafted in a way that makes bail easily obtainable, allowing dealers to return to the trade immediately.
Although agencies like the Department of Narcotics Control and police have compiled extensive lists of drug dealers, the godfathers and main beneficiaries remain untouched. Their names are never revealed, which mostly happens due to political sheltering. Those providing shelter receive massive financial benefits without any investment. For them, the drug crisis is highly profitable, so they have no interest in stopping it.
We are seeing seizures of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS). Is there a shift towards more dangerous substances, and is this linked to the rising violence in society?
There is a direct link between chronic drug addiction and crime, including sexual assault, rape, domestic violence, and theft. But I don’t think classifying drugs into “hard” and “soft” categories will benefit the country. Look at e-cigarettes or shisha lounges: even when regulations exist, enforcement is weak, and the fines are too minor to deter business owners. Furthermore, deceptive campaigns, like those claiming that yaba pills make people look beautiful, which circulated widely in the past, target and attract young people. The long-term impact of addiction is devastating, leading to job losses, financial ruin, and family breakdown.
We also hear reports of counterfeit drugs being manufactured locally. What is the situation regarding fake yaba?
There are numerous factories inside Bangladesh manufacturing fake yaba pills. This cannot be unknown to the state or law enforcement. The physiological damage caused by these counterfeit, chemical-laden drugs is even more terrifying than that of the original substances.
What would be an ideal rehabilitation environment for someone struggling with drugs, and what is your message to someone struggling with drug addiction?
We want those who have already become addicted to be rehabilitated and bring them back into society as healthy, functional human beings and citizens. For those who are chronically addicted, we certainly need rehabilitation services. We view these services in two ways: institutional support and community-based actions.
Institutional support involves keeping individuals in rehabilitation centres for a specific period, applying existing treatment methods, and taking initiatives to make them drug-free. Community-based actions are needed when someone returns from rehabilitation or is in the initial stage of drug consumption. Often, the drug-addicted person or their family is socially stigmatised. This acts as an obstacle to maintaining social relations or building new relationships. If society does not come forward to help these individuals get better, recovery cannot be achieved through institutional support alone.
However, we don’t have the slightest trust in the way rehabilitation centres have been established in Bangladesh. Most of these centres face allegations of torture, keeping patients asleep for long periods by administering sleeping pills, and taking large sums of money without providing proper rehabilitation. The alternative could be establishing government-run rehabilitation centres, managed according to modern, evidence-based models.
Do we have enough academic research to guide our drug policies?
Most current research is highly quantitative and focused on statistics. We need action-oriented research that explores solutions aligned with our unique socio-cultural, religious, and institutional contexts. While academics want to conduct large-scale studies, we are limited by funding, which restricts our respondent pool and makes broad generalisations difficult. If the government, the Department of Narcotics Control, or law enforcement agencies allocate research funds to academic institutions, we can conduct area-specific studies to map addiction patterns and design effective preventive frameworks. At the Institute of Social Welfare and Research, we continue our academic efforts to train students in drug prevention, but a comprehensive solution requires strong political will and state cooperation. We want to use our academic lenses and methodological processes to help transform society and rehabilitate drug users, but this requires the genuine cooperation and will of the government.
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