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Monday | October 26, 2026 | Dhaka

Govt tightens drug crackdown with tougher laws, treatment facilities

 Staff Reporter
 Published: 12:02 AM, 26 October 2026  Updated: 10:44 PM, 25 October 2026

The government has stepped up its campaign against drug trafficking and abuse, combining tougher laws, stronger law enforcement, modern detection technology and expanded treatment facilities under its zero-tolerance policy.

The measures include amendments to the country’s narcotics control law, the confiscation of assets linked to drug crimes, specialised tribunals for faster trials, improved laboratory facilities and new rehabilitation centres.

The Narcotics Control (Amendment) Act, 2026, replaces the Narcotics Control Act, 2018, and introduces tougher penalties for online drug trafficking, stronger enforcement powers for the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) and provisions to seize assets linked to drug-related offences.

Under the amended law, online drug trafficking may attract imprisonment and fines of up to Tk 20 lakh, while certain organised or international digital drug crimes carry fines of up to Tk 50 lakh. Serious offences involving specified drugs may be punishable by life imprisonment or the death penalty.

The government is also planning to establish advanced chemical laboratories in every district to improve the accuracy and reliability of drug testing and prevent fraudulent chemical analyses. Modern equipment, trained detection dogs, improved laboratory facilities and upgraded detention centres are also part of the measures to strengthen the DNC’s capacity.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said the government intends to dismantle entire drug trafficking networks and bring their masterminds, financiers and major operators to justice, rather than limiting action to street-level dealers and carriers.

He has also highlighted the growing use of digital platforms, social media and encrypted communications by trafficking groups to target young people and coordinate illegal activities.

According to the minister, drug-related financial crimes increasingly involve anonymous SIM cards, one-time passwords (OTPs), WhatsApp and mobile financial services (MFS).

The government is working to strengthen its legal and technical capacity to trace suspicious transactions and money laundering, with technical advice from the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC).