National Citizen Party MP Abdullah Al Amin has questioned whether Bangladesh’s narcotics problem is being externally imposed by a neighbouring country, drawing a contentious parallel with the Opium Wars.

“Our drug problem is, in a way imposed by neighbouring states. Just like the Opium Wars. Is this a kind of tactic to intoxicate our youth with drugs and capture our market?” he said during a general discussion on the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2026-27 at the parliament on Monday.

He warned that the youth were increasingly affected by drugs and referred to earlier government assurances on enforcement.

“The young generation is plagued by drug problems. The home minister said in the last session that after Eid there would be a joint operation against drugs, but after which Eid, we still don’t know?” he said.

He further cautioned that failure to act could undermine national development plans.

“If we cannot carry out a joint operation against drugs, if we cannot engage our young generation in work, many of our plans will collapse. We will not be able to move the country forward,” he added.

Lakshmipur-2 MP Shahadat Hossain Selim called for a clear policy framework for operating private terminals at ports, stressing that foreign investment must adhere to a “Bangladesh First” principle.

He also criticised "excessive extravagance" in weddings and pre-wedding ceremonies, arguing that such practices contradicted religious values and contributed to inflation.

“Arranging choreographed dances seven or eight days before the wedding is contradictory to religious teachings. This must be stopped. In the past, there was a Guest Control Act. If we enforce this law and follow religious guidelines, inflation will decrease. Prices of daily essentials in the market will drop by at least 10 percent in a single day,” he said.

NCP MP Nusrat Tabassum said the spirit of the July Uprising had yet to be fully realised, alleging that remnants of authoritarian influence remained active.

She further argued that cultural influences had been used to sustain political control.

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis MP Sayed Uddin Ahmad Hanzala claimed that the histories of Haji Shariatullah and Titumir were being omitted from educational curricula, calling for their reinstatement.

“The history of those through whom patriotism came into us should be brought back into textbooks in the future,” he said.

He also spoke about persistent electricity shortages in his constituency, describing the difficulties faced by residents.