Bangladesh is facing a mounting drug crisis, with an estimated 82 lakh people – nearly five per cent of the population – using illegal drugs for recreational purposes, according to a new nationwide survey that experts say should trigger urgent national action.
The findings were revealed at a dissemination event hosted by Bangladesh Medical University (BMU), where Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Md Shahinul Alam presented results from the study titled “Estimation of the Number and Category of Persons Abusing Drugs and Associated Factors: A Nationwide Study in Bangladesh.”
Conducted between February and June 2025 under the supervision of the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC), the research collected data from 13 districts and 26 upazilas across all eight divisions using the Network Scale-Up Method. Cigarette smoking was excluded from the definition of drug use.
The study estimates the total number of drug users at 81,94,651, revealing a widespread problem that cuts across regions and social groups.
While Dhaka division accounts for the highest number of users – around 22.9 lakh – followed by Chattogram with 18.8 lakh and Rangpur with 10.8 lakh, prevalence rates are highest in Mymensingh, Rangpur and Chattogram. Rajshahi and Khulna recorded comparatively lower rates.
The survey found that cannabis is the most commonly used substance, with nearly 61 lakh users nationwide, followed by methamphetamine (Yaba) at around 23 lakh and alcohol at roughly 20 lakh.
Other substances such as codeine-based cough syrup, sleeping pills and heroin also feature prominently.
Around 39,000 people were found to inject drugs, placing them at heightened risk of HIV, hepatitis and other infectious diseases, raising alarm among public health experts.
Perhaps most concerning is how early drug use begins. About one-third of users reported first taking drugs between the ages of 8 and 17, while nearly 60 per cent started between 18 and 25.
Researchers linked addiction to a mix of unemployment, peer pressure, financial insecurity, family instability, mental stress and insecure work.
Nearly 90 per cent of respondents said drugs are easily accessible, highlighting serious gaps in enforcement and prevention.
The financial burden is also substantial. On average, drug users spend around Tk 6,000 per month on substances, diverting income away from essentials such as education, healthcare and household needs.
Experts warn that addiction is fuelling crime, school dropouts, job instability, family breakdown and long-term mental health problems, compounding existing social pressures.
Despite the scale of the crisis, access to treatment remains limited. Only 13 per cent of drug users reported receiving any form of treatment or rehabilitation, even though more than half said they had tried to quit.
Many cited a lack of counselling services, limited healthcare access, social stigma and poor employment prospects as major barriers to recovery.
The study found that only 13 per cent of drug users have ever received any form of treatment or rehabilitation.
Although more than half have attempted to quit, most failed due to a lack of effective addiction treatment, counselling services, and social or financial support systems.
Users identified rehabilitation and treatment (69 per cent), counselling (62 per cent) and employment assistance (41.2 per cent) as their most urgent needs.
Stigma remains a major barrier to recovery. Around 68 per cent of drug users reported facing discrimination and social exclusion within their families and communities, highlighting a deep-rooted social challenge that continues to push many further away from help and reintegration.
Speaking at the event, Prof Dr Shahinul Alam cautioned against underestimating the threat, saying drug abuse is no longer confined to marginalised communities. “We or our children — everyone is at risk. This is not a small or isolated problem. It is a national challenge that demands collective responsibility,” he said.
DNC Director General Hasan Maruf described drug abuse as a nationwide risk that cannot be tackled through law enforcement alone, calling for a broad social movement involving families, schools, religious institutions and communities.
In response, the government has approved plans to establish seven new drug addiction treatment and rehabilitation centres outside Dhaka, each with 200 beds, in an effort to expand medical and psychological support. However, experts warn that infrastructure alone will not be enough, urging a comprehensive strategy that treats drug abuse as a public health, social and economic issue, not merely a criminal one.
The survey’s findings paint a stark picture of a country at a tipping point. With millions of users, easy access to drugs and limited treatment pathways, specialists warn that without decisive, coordinated action, Bangladesh risks facing a deepening crisis with long-term consequences for an entire generation.