A nationwide study on drug abuse in Bangladesh has revealed that approximately 8.2 million people, or 4.88 percent of the population, use some form of illegal drug. The findings were presented on January 25, 2026, at a dissemination event held at the Super Specialized Hospital in Dhaka, organized by Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) under the supervision of the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC). The research, conducted between February and June 2025 using the Network Scale-Up Method, covered 13 districts and 26 upazilas across eight divisions.
The study found that cannabis is the most commonly used drug, with about 6.1 million users, followed by methamphetamine (2.3 million) and alcohol (2 million). Mymensingh, Rangpur, and Chattogram divisions recorded the highest usage rates, while Rajshahi and Khulna had the lowest. Most users are young, with 33 percent starting drug use before age 18. Unemployment, peer influence, and family instability were identified as major risk factors.
Researchers emphasized that drug abuse in Bangladesh is a growing public health and social crisis requiring integrated prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation policies beyond punitive measures.
আমার দেশ অনলাইন প্রকাশ : ২৫ জানুয়ারি ২০২৬, ১৬: ০৯ আমার দেশ অনলাইন বাংলাদেশে মাদক অপব্যবহারকারী ব্যক্তিদের সংখ্যা, ধরণ ও সংশ্লিষ্ট কারণসমূহ নিয়ে জাতীয় পর্যায়ের গবেষণার ফলাফল প্রকাশ (Dissemination Meeting of Estimation of the Number and Category of Pe
The ‘1 Nojor’ media platform is now live in beta, inviting users to explore and provide feedback as we continue to refine the experience.
