82 lakh people addicted to drugs, existing law no longer enough: Home Minister

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said that drug abuse across the country has reached an alarming level, with an estimated 82 lakh people currently addicted to various narcotic substances across the country.

Speaking at a programme marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking at the Secretariat on Thursday (June 25), the minister warned that the growing spread of synthetic and semi-synthetic drugs is making the fight against narcotics increasingly difficult.

He said the existing legal framework is no longer sufficient to effectively tackle the evolving nature of drug trafficking.

According to him, criminal networks involved in the drug trade are now equipped with sophisticated weapons, while officials of the Department of Narcotics Control lack the necessary enforcement capacity to confront them.

“The current law is proving inadequate in dealing with modern drug syndicates. We are working on amending the narcotics law and building a stronger legal framework to address the situation,” he said, adding that the proposed amendments may be placed before Parliament during the current session.

The minister also highlighted the growing backlog of drug-related cases, noting that nearly 80,000 narcotics cases are currently pending in Dhaka alone, with thousands more awaiting disposal in courts across the country.

To accelerate the judicial process, the government has proposed the establishment of special tribunals dedicated to drug-related offences, while regular courts will continue handling such cases as well.

Addressing rehabilitation efforts, Salahuddin Ahmed said the government has undertaken a Tk 1,413 crore project to establish 200-bed drug treatment and rehabilitation centres in seven divisional cities.

As part of efforts to strengthen recovery services, he also handed over grants to private rehabilitation facilities. A total of 73 private drug rehabilitation centres will receive financial assistance amounting to Tk 1.10 crore, aimed at expanding treatment and recovery support for addicts.

The minister stressed that alongside enforcement, treatment and rehabilitation must remain central to the country's anti-drug strategy, as authorities seek to curb addiction and dismantle organised drug networks.