Home Minister: Amendment to Anti-Drug Law to Be Tabled Within Days

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Friday announced that the government will place a proposed amendment to the Narcotics Control Act before Parliament within the next two to three days as part of its efforts to strengthen the country's fight against drug trafficking and abuse.

He made the announcement while addressing a programme at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

The home minister said the proposed amendment would empower the government to establish special tribunals, when necessary, to expedite the trial of narcotics-related cases alongside the existing magistrate courts.

He emphasised that legislative measures alone would not be sufficient to tackle the drug menace, stressing the need for greater public awareness and community participation.

"We must build social awareness alongside enforcing the law. Only then will our fight against drugs become more effective," he said.

Salahuddin Ahmed described drug addiction as one of the major drivers of crime across the country.

According to government estimates, around 8.2 million people in Bangladesh use narcotics, representing approximately 4.88 per cent of the population.

Reaffirming the government's zero-tolerance policy against drugs, the minister said law enforcement agencies have intensified operations against narcotics syndicates. He added that the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) has so far filed nine money laundering cases against suspected drug traffickers as part of efforts to dismantle organised drug networks and disrupt their financial operations.

The government expects the proposed amendments to strengthen the legal framework for narcotics control, accelerate judicial proceedings and reinforce Bangladesh's efforts to curb drug-related crime.