Bangladesh’s National Parliament has passed the Narcotics Control (Amendment) Bill 2026, introducing the death penalty for illegal drug trading conducted through digital platforms such as social media, mobile apps, e-wallets, or cryptocurrencies. The bill, approved on July 13 but not yet gazetted, removes the requirement to recover physical drugs in cyber-related cases, sparking nationwide debate. It also calls for establishing special tribunals in drug-prone areas and allows confiscation of digital devices or accounts used in such crimes.

Legal experts have expressed concern that the absence of mandatory drug recovery could lead to misuse and wrongful convictions based solely on digital evidence like chat screenshots. Some lawyers warned this could increase police harassment and false accusations. However, senior Supreme Court lawyer Manzil Morshed supported the law’s intent, emphasizing the need for careful enforcement to prevent abuse.

Officials from the Department of Narcotics Control said the law responds to rising online drug trade since the COVID-19 pandemic and aims to strengthen cyber surveillance to curb narcotics distribution.