Drug traffickers have shifted their strategy, increasingly using Bangladesh as a transit hub on international smuggling routes. Previously, narcotics such as yaba, phensedyl, and cannabis entered the country directly through border points. Now, syndicates are concealing drugs in legal commercial consignments, courier services, and passenger luggage at airports. Experts warn that if this trend is not immediately curbed, the country could face a severe crisis.
According to intelligence sources, syndicates have chosen Bangladesh as a transit point for methamphetamine (yaba) from Southeast Asia, cocaine from Africa, and crystal meth (“ice”) from the Middle East. Multiple raids have revealed narcotics hidden inside shipping containers, fruit baskets, and cosmetic consignments being distributed in Dhaka and beyond.
Experts caution that if Bangladesh continues to be exploited as part of the global drug route, it will be difficult to control narcotics not only within the domestic market but also internationally. They emphasize the urgent need for law enforcement agencies to enhance surveillance with modern technology, strengthen cross-border coordination, and tighten border security.
Major Recent Seizures
On September 5, the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) seized 6.5 kilograms of ketamine—an extremely dangerous drug—disguised in towels and prepared for shipment to Italy. The operation in Tongi, near Dhaka, led to the arrest of Masudur Rahman Jilani (28) and Arifur Rahman Khoka (43).
Addressing the media on September 7, DNC Director General Hasan Mahmud explained that ketamine, originally developed as a dissociative anesthetic, has now become widely abused as a “party drug.” He warned that ketamine causes short-term disorientation, hallucinations, and physical complications, while long-term use severely damages the kidneys and bladder, triggers mental disorders, and creates dangerous levels of addiction.
Earlier, on August 26, customs intelligence officials at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport recovered over 8.5 kilograms of cocaine worth around Tk 1.3 billion (approximately $11 million) from a Guyanese national, MS Petula Staffell. Officials described it as the largest cocaine seizure in Bangladesh’s history.
According to DNC data, narcotics worth hundreds of crores of taka have been recovered across Bangladesh in recent years, with airports emerging as major hotspots. The August cocaine seizure has drawn particular attention due to its unprecedented scale.
Authorities and Expert Views
DNC chief Hasan Mahmud stressed that enforcement drives are ongoing but parental supervision is also crucial. “Parents must pay attention to who their children associate with,” he said. He added that Bangladesh’s extensive borders remain vulnerable, with yaba flowing in, and noted that expatriate Bangladeshis are often linked to international smuggling networks by providing logistical support.
While those arrested in recent raids were not expatriates themselves, officials believe the trafficking networks are built with the help of contacts abroad.
Commenting on the rising threat, Dr. Touhidul Haque, Associate Professor at the Institute of Social Welfare and Research, University of Dhaka, said:
“If Bangladesh is used as part of the international drug route, controlling narcotics will become even harder—both domestically and globally. Law enforcement agencies must adopt advanced technology, strengthen international cooperation, and tighten border surveillance to address the challenge.”