Separate tribunal proposed to clear 80,000 pending drug cases: Minister

Noting that nearly 80,000 drug-related cases are currently pending across the country, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed today (25 June) said proposal was made for the formation of separate tribunal to expedite the disposal of the cases.

"At present, around 80,000 drug cases are pending nationwide. Of these, nearly 18,000 are in Dhaka and about 39,000 in Chattogram," he said while speaking at a press conference held at the conference room of the Ministry of Home Affairs at Secretariat, marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2026.

Initiatives are underway to prepare officials of the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) with modern weapons, dog squads, detention facilities and improved transport support to strengthen anti-drug operations, he said.

Noting that nearly 82 lakh people in Bangladesh use one form of illicit drug or another, the minister said they account for about 4.88% of the country's population.

He said the growing spread of new synthetic and semi-synthetic drugs has made the drug abuse situation more complex, prompting the government to strengthen and expand treatment and rehabilitation services for drug-dependent individuals.

Talking about the existing Narcotics Control Act, the minister said the existing act is no longer sufficient to effectively combat drug-related crimes.

"Many drug traffickers operate armed groups, while DNC inspectors conducting raids have no weapons. It is like sending them into the field without any means of protection," he said.

He noted that the country lacks adequate laboratories for drug testing, creating delays in examining seized narcotics and completing legal procedures.

The minister said the DNC currently lacks its own detention facilities to hold arrested drug traffickers before handing them over to police stations.

Referring to the drug users, the minister said "To bring drug users under treatment as quickly as possible, the government has undertaken a number of initiatives."

The number of beds has already been increased at the government-run Central Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre in Tejgaon, Dhaka, as well as at rehabilitation facilities established in three divisional cities, said the minister.

Besides, work is underway to upgrade the Central Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre in Dhaka into a 250-bed facility.

The minister said the government has launched a Tk143 crore project to construct 200-bed drug addiction treatment and rehabilitation centres in Chattogram, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barishal, Rangpur, Sylhet and Mymensingh.

Once implemented, the project will not only provide treatment services but also offer vocational training to help recovering addicts reintegrate into mainstream society, he said.

Acknowledging that the existing government treatment facilities remain insufficient compared to the number of drug users in the country, the minister said, "In view of this reality, the government is encouraging private initiatives and implementing various programmes to improve treatment services."

He said financial assistance is being provided to enhance service quality and develop human resources at private drug treatment and rehabilitation centres, he added.

Besides, a total of Tk1.10 crore in grants will be distributed among 73 private treatment and rehabilitation centres out of 403 licensed facilities across the country in the 2025–26 fiscal year, said Salahuddin.

Speaking at the press conference, Salahuddin said a colourful programme will be observed in the capital on 26 June to mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

A rally against drug abuse will begin from the Matsya Bhaban area in the morning and conclude at Osmani Memorial Auditorium, he added.

He also pointed to changing patterns of crime, saying drugs are now being traded online, with proceeds transferred through illicit channels and laundered to accumulate assets.

"To combat these crimes, a stronger legal framework is essential," he said.