Anti-drug drives raise questions over enforcement priorities 

The anti-drug campaign across the country, including Dhaka, is raising questions about enforcement priorities, as repeated raids on licensed bars, clubs and hotels draw public attention while major networks trafficking yaba, crystal methamphetamine and other illegal narcotics remain a serious concern.

Over the past six months, authorities reportedly conducted around 42 operations at registered bars, clubs and hotels in Dhaka, including establishments in Banani, Gulshan and Tejgaon. Many of the reported operations focused on alleged violations involving alcohol stocks, taxation and licence conditions.

Many of the reported operations focused on alleged violations involving alcohol stocks, taxation and licensing conditions.

The issue is not whether licensed businesses should be exempt from scrutiny. Rather, it is whether enforcement efforts are equally focused on dismantling the criminal networks supplying prohibited drugs.

Across Dhaka, particularly in Mohammadpur and Uttara, concerns about youth gang violence, street crime and drug addiction have intensified. Families affected by addiction face financial hardship, domestic violence and the collapse of relationships.

Former patients have also alleged abuse and inadequate medical care at some rehabilitation centres, highlighting the need for independent inspections and stronger oversight.

The financial scale of the illicit drug trade remains uncertain, with widely varying estimates circulating about its annual turnover. Investigators need to establish the actual scale of trafficking, trace suspected proceeds through bank accounts and mobile financial services, and examine allegations that influential individuals protect drug networks.

Major (retd) Jahangir Hossain, president of the Bangladesh Hotel, Restaurant and Bar Owners Association, said licensed alcohol sales were fundamentally different from trafficking in prohibited narcotics. He warned that indiscriminate raids, arrests and live media coverage could damage legitimate businesses and undermine the tourism sector.

Hasan Maruf, director general of the Department of Narcotics Control, rejected allegations of harassment, saying operations were based on specific complaints involving illegal stockpiling, duty-free alcohol and breaches of licence conditions.

Sociology Professor Nehal Karim said the drug crisis could not be tackled effectively without targeting powerful traffickers and their alleged protectors.