When customs officials at Chittagong Port cracked open two containers from Pakistan in late October, they expected to find bird feed.
What they found instead was a surprise that sent social media into a frenzy – 25 tonnes of poppy seeds hidden behind a thin layer of bird food.
The discovery instantly sparked curiosity online.
What exactly are poppy seeds, known locally as posto dana? Are they the same thing that produces narcotics? And, if they’re just used in curries or cakes, why are they banned in Bangladesh?
An ancient seed with a dual identity
The poppy plant (Papaver somniferum) has a long and complex history – one that stretches back thousands of years and straddles the fine line between cuisine and narcotics.
Carbon dating shows poppy cultivation in Western Europe as far back as 5,900 years ago, according to the journal Nature.
Banglapedia goes even further – citing fossil evidence suggesting that Neanderthals may have been familiar with the plant over 30,000 years ago.
In ancient Egypt, poppies held a place of honour. Descriptions of Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s burial garments and ornaments include poppy motifs, and even his furniture was adorned with the flower’s form.
Over the centuries, the poppy’s legacy grew – both as a symbol of sleep and peace and as the source of one of the world’s most potent drugs: opium.
A plant of pleasure and pain
Of all poppy species, Papaver somniferum – literally “sleep-bringing poppy” – is the most famous.
From its milky latex, people once extracted opium, a powerful painkiller that gave rise to a family of drugs including morphine, codeine, and heroin.
Throughout history, it’s been both a medical miracle and a social menace – prescribed by doctors, glorified by poets, and banned by governments.
But here’s the key point: the seeds themselves are not drugs.
They come from the same plant but contain only trace amounts of the opiate compounds – sometimes just enough to show up on a sensitive drug test, but not enough to cause intoxication.
In fact, poppy seeds have long been celebrated in kitchens worldwide – sprinkled on bread, blended into curries, or ground into rich Mughal-style pastes for dishes like posto ilish or posto aloo.
So, if the seeds are so harmless, why are they off-limits in Bangladesh?
What the law says
The answer lies in the Narcotics Control Act of 2018.
The law classifies narcotics into three groups – A, B, and C, with “A” being the most serious.
At the very top of that list sits “opium poppy plants, opium poppy fruits, or seeds suitable for germination of opium poppy.”
In simple terms: if the seeds can sprout, they’re banned.
The Act forbids not just cultivation, but also production, transport, and import of anything that could be used to make narcotics.
Even though the law specifies germination-friendly seeds, the Ministry of Commerce later took an even stricter stance.
Its trade policy order bans all forms of poppy seeds – edible or otherwise – declaring: “Poppy seeds, whether as spices or in any other form, shall not be eligible for import.”
And yet, a quick stroll through local spice shops reveals packets of posto sitting right there on the shelves.
How does it get there? Most likely through smuggling, mislabelled imports, or leftover stock that predates stricter enforcement – a shadow supply chain that recently surfaced at Chittagong Port.
The Chittagong Port seizure
On October 9, a shipment labelled as bird food arrived from Pakistan. It belonged to a Chittagong-based importer, Messrs Adib Trading.
Acting on a tip-off, the Air Intelligence and Risk Management branch of Chittagong Customs halted the unloading and inspected the containers.
Inside, they discovered 7,200 kilograms of bird feed neatly packed at the front – and behind it, 25,000 kilograms of poppy seeds, concealed like contraband treasure.
The estimated market value? Around Tk 6.5 crore.
Customs officials later announced they would take legal action against those responsible for bringing the banned seeds into the country under false declaration.
Between kitchen and contraband
The poppy seed’s reputation, it seems, depends on which side of the law – or the dinner table – you’re standing.
In India and parts of West Bengal, posto is a beloved staple, especially during summer when its cooling properties are prized.
In Europe, poppy seed rolls and bagels are breakfast favourites.
But in Bangladesh, the little seed sits in a legal grey zone: culturally familiar, scientifically harmless, yet officially forbidden.
As the Chittagong seizure shows, even a common cooking ingredient can become a customs headline — when its ancient, double-edged identity crosses modern borders.
So, what happens if you eat poppy seeds? Nothing illegal – unless you’re the one importing them.