[🇧🇩] Bangladesh is the victim of drug trafficking by India and Myanmar

[Saif]

Date of Event: Jun 26, 2025

Source : https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/three-yaba-factories-found-along-indian-border Short Summary: A tale of two drug peddlers----India and Myanmar

Three yaba factories found along Indian border
Ahmadul Hassan Dhaka
Published: 13 Nov 2021, 13: 51

Seized consignments of yaba tablets Reuters

Bangladesh's Department of Narcotics Control has come to know about three yaba factories in India, along its border with Bangladesh. According to the department, the yaba tablets manufactured in these factories have been coming into Bangladesh over the past two years. These factories have been set up along the borders specifically to smuggle the drug into Bangladesh.

The narcotics control department has officially informed India's Narcotics Control Bureau about the matter and requested them to take action accordingly. This request was made during the seventh bilateral conference held virtually at a director general level between Bangladesh's Department of Narcotics Control and India's Narcotics Control Bureau.

The narcotics control department, at the meeting said that other than these three factories, yaba was also coming from Myanmar via various states in India, into Bangladesh. The drug traffickers were also using India's sea routes for the purpose. Bangladesh also informed the meeting that under various different names, phensidyl, heroin, cannabis, buprenorphine and other drugs were coming into Bangladesh from India.

At the meeting, according to sources, the Indian narcotics control bureau placed stress on capacity building, working together to stop the trafficking of drugs, exchange of intelligence and sharing information on inter-country drug traffickers.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, director general of the narcotics control department Abdus Sabur said that yaba is smuggled into Bangladesh from certain areas in India. India has been informed about the matter. The new routes for drug trafficking were also discussed with India.

Three factories

Of the three yaba factories in India identified by the narcotics control department, two are in Cooch Behar and one in 24 Parganas, of West Bengal. The raw material amphetamine is brought from Myanmar for yaba to be manufactured in these factories.

According to information presented at the meeting, one of the factories in Cooch Behar is just 50 metres away from zero point at the Kurigram border. The owner of the factory is Md Al Amin Islam (35), the son of a local Abdul Samad. Another factory is just 400 metres within the border. That factory is owned by Nazrul Islam (35), son of local Hazrat Ali. The third factory is on the other side of the border from Satkhira, in 24 Parganas, 5km from the zero point. This factory is owned by a certain Dimple.

According to Bangladesh's officials, though three factories were specified in the meeting, there are many more. Outside of West Bengal, there are also factories in Assam and Meghalaya, according to intelligence reports. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) officers said that they have intelligence information about 11 yaba factories along the border in India. The information is being verified.

BGB's director (operations) Lt. Col. Faizur Rahman told Prothom Alo, there is intelligence information about yaba factories being set up at various places along the Indian border. BGB is stepping up its efforts to prevent drug trafficking.

Myanmar is the source, India is the 'route'

Two officials of the narcotics control department, on condition of anonymity, told this correspondent that drug traders use India as a route to smuggle in yaba from Myanmar into Bangladesh. Yaba is first taken from Myanmar into India across the Mizoram border. Then it comes via Tripura, Meghalaya and Assam into Bangladesh. This has been going on for three years.

Researcher on narcotics and professor at North South University, M Emdadul Huq, told Prothom Alo that from the beginning of the eighties, drug traders had been manufacturing phensidyl in factories along the Indian border and sending these into Bangladesh. The country had been flooded with phensidyl at the time. This continues. He said, now if even yaba is made in India, that will be alarming for Bangladesh.​

 

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Yaba smuggled from Myanmar; phensedyl, heroin from India: Home minister

363 foreign nationals are currently imprisoned in Bangladesh for various offences, he also said

www.tbsnews.net

Yaba smuggled from Myanmar; phensedyl, heroin from India: Home minister

363 foreign nationals are currently imprisoned in Bangladesh for various offences, he also said

Despite not being a country where drugs are manufactured, Bangladesh still struggles with drug issues, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said today (12 June) expressing concern over the rising drug addiction among youths.

"Illegal drugs are entering the country from neighbouring nations. The widely discussed drug yaba is smuggled in from Myanmar, while cannabis, Phensedyl, heroin, and intravenous drugs enter from India," the minister said in a written response during the question-answer session at the parliament today (12 June).

"All agencies are committed to implementing the prime minister's 'zero tolerance' policy against drugs. Over the past 15 years, the government has taken multiple measures to eradicate drugs to protect the youth and their potential.

"Dope test has been introduced to identify drug addiction, which is now mandatory for government job entry and university admissions. This initiative aims to discourage drug use among the youth," he added.

The home minister also informed that 363 foreign nationals are currently imprisoned in Bangladesh for various offences.

In response to a question, the minister said, "The detainees include 212 Indians, 114 Myanmar nationals, seven Pakistanis, six Nigerians, six Malaysians, one American, and four Chinese nationals."

The home minister also disclosed that 994 displaced Rohingyas have been arrested in Cox's Bazar in murder and arms-related cases.

"Various institutions and individuals posing security risks in the camps are under surveillance, and regular operations are being conducted to curb terrorist activities," he also said.​

 

[Saif]

'Phensedyl smuggled into Bangladesh from India,' alleges Home Affairs Adviser ahead of talks

Ahead of the upcoming border conference (Delhi, Feb 16 to 20) between the chiefs of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India's Border Security Force (BSF), H

www.newindianexpress.com

'Phensedyl smuggled into Bangladesh from India,' alleges Home Affairs Adviser ahead of talks

BSF had busted three underground bunkers filled with 62,200 bottles of Phensedyl syrup near the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal’s Nadia district recently.

Ahead of the upcoming border conference (Delhi, Feb 16 to 20) between the chiefs of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India's Border Security Force (BSF), Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Wednesday said all "unequal agreements" made with India during the Awami League government’s tenure will be discussed.

The adviser has been quoted as saying, during a press briefing, by Dhaka Tribune that "Indian nationals in border areas often produce drugs."

"They manufacture Phensedyl and smuggle it into Bangladesh. Although they claim to produce it as medicine, it is actually made as a narcotic," the adviser claimed as per the Dhaka Tribune report.

"Measures to curb border violations, illegal crossings, or infiltrations by the BSF or Indian nationals will be emphasized. Additionally, preventing the smuggling of illegal drugs like yaba and Phensedyl, weapons, ammunition, and explosives from India into Bangladesh will be a priority," he further said.

Meanwhile, a report in the India Today on the busting of three underground bunkers filled with 62,200 bottles of Phensedyl syrup near the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal’s Nadia district, said that it is a development that highlights the growing complexities of cross-border smuggling.

The seizure, valued at over Rs 1.4 crore, not only points to the increasing ingenuity of smuggling networks but also raises concerns about potential subversive activities amid the shifting political dynamics in Bangladesh, the report noted.

The operation was carried out on January 24, based on intelligence inputs.

The bunkers contained Phensedyl, a cough syrup banned in Bangladesh due to its misuse as an addictive substance. Legally manufactured and sold in India, the syrup is highly sought after in the neighbouring country, where it commands a hefty premium. The smuggling of Phensedyl has long been a lucrative trade along the border, often fuelling broader concerns about organised crime and illegal cross-border activities, the report added.

Meanwhile, a Hindustan Times report said that the BSF has increased vigil along the border with Bangladesh after some Indian villagers were injured in an attack by some Bangladeshi nationals in Unakoti district’s Kailasahar area on Sunday.​

 

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Indian gangs smuggling yaba into Bangladesh

Several Indian syndicates are smuggling yaba pills from Myanmar and then sending them into Bangladesh through their carriers. The Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) revealed this following the first ever arrest of an Indian national for yaba possession in Bangladesh.

www.thedailystar.net

Indian gangs smuggling yaba into Bangladesh
Claim detectives after arresting an Indian in the capital

File photo

Several Indian syndicates are smuggling yaba pills from Myanmar and then sending them into Bangladesh through their carriers.

The Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) revealed this following the first ever arrest of an Indian national for yaba possession in Bangladesh.

DB officials said they unearthed at least two cases in which two Indians were found to have entered Bangladesh and engaged in selling the crazy pills to local dealers.

On August 9, a DB team arrested Indian national Md Abdus Sabur, 34, and two Bangladeshi yaba dealers -- Shamsul Alam, 28, and Jakir Hossain, 40 -- at a house in the capital’s Rampura. The law enforcers recovered some 10,000 pieces of yaba from their possession, Mashiur Rahman, deputy commissioner of DB (north), told The Daily Star yesterday.

Mashiur also said yaba smugglers changed their route in the face of tougher vigilance of law enforcers in Teknaf, known as the gateway of smuggling yaba into the country.

Several Indian syndicates are now using Kurigram’s Rowmari border point as a new route to bring yaba into Bangladesh, he said.

“They collect the pills from Myanmar and then take them to India’s Assam via Tripura before pushing them into Bangladesh.”

Contacted, Lt Col Nazrul Islam, commanding officer of Border Guard Bangladesh Battalion-35, which maintain security at the border point, said they arrested many with yaba pills, but were yet not sure about the origin of the drugs.

DB Additional Deputy Commissioner Junayed Alam Sharker, who is coordinating the investigation of a case over the arrest of the Indian national, said the arrestee’s passport showed he was from Assam.

Sabur was a vendor and got involved in yaba trade three to four months ago to earn easy money, he said.

“Sabur buys each pill for Tk 45 to Tk 50 and sells it for Tk 65 to Bangladeshi yaba dealers,” Junayed said, adding that yaba prices go up as the pills make their way to Bangladesh from Myanmar through the two Indian states.

The ADC said Sabur, using his own carriers, had earlier sent three other yaba shipments, each of 10,000 pieces. He arrived in Bangladesh for the first time on July 26 to observe the market here and establish a stronger network with Bangladeshi yaba dealers.

The local yaba dealers sold each pill for Tk 130 to Tk 140 in the wholesale markets and Tk 300 to Tk 350 in the local markets, the DB official said.

Of the two other arrestees, Jakir, also a cattle smuggler, has been involved in narcotics trade for years. He was earlier arrested in 2017 and stayed behind bars for six months, Junayed said.

The other arrestee, Shamsul, had not been facing any cases and he used to work for Jakir, he said.

Jakir said he had bought yaba pills from another Indian in Kurigram, said DB officials without elaborating.

“We have come to know that several yaba syndicates are active in Kurigram. Those have joined hands with their Indian associates,” the ADC said.

Based on information gleaned from the arrestees, law enforcers were raiding several places to arrest other yaba traders, he said.

Abu Mohammad Delwar Hasan Imam, officer-in-charge of Rowmari Police Station, said they had arrested many with yaba. Most of them were carriers of the drugs, he added.

“We heard that some yaba pills came from India, but we are yet to get any specific information about their origin,” he said, adding that they were investigating the matter as a priority.

This is not the first time law enforcers said yaba was coming into Bangladesh via India.

In July last year, they said yaba smugglers were using Mizoram, Meghalaya and Assam to bring in yaba from Myanmar.

The crazy medicine first enters Mizoram, a northeastern state of India, through hill roads and then makes its way to Assam and Meghalaya states in cars, buses or motorbikes.

Besides, the smugglers were found to be using the Bay of Bengal to smuggle the pills into Bangladesh using southern districts, including Patuakhali, added the law enforcers.​

 

[Saif]

The Indians establish factories to produce phensedyl with a sole purpose of smuggling it into Bangladesh. The Indians have created a vast network of drug peddlers in Bangladesh which is very hard to dismantle.

 

[Saif]

The menace of unabated drug trafficking

One of the most alarming and persistent challenges confronting the nation today is the scourge of drug abuse and the illicit trafficking of narcotic substances, threatening public health, law and order, and the very fabric of society. Despite repeated calls for effective action and the observance o

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

The menace of unabated drug trafficking

Wasi Ahmed
Published :
Jul 08, 2025 22:32
Updated :
Jul 08, 2025 22:32

One of the most alarming and persistent challenges confronting the nation today is the scourge of drug abuse and the illicit trafficking of narcotic substances, threatening public health, law and order, and the very fabric of society. Despite repeated calls for effective action and the observance of international days dedicated to raising awareness against drug abuse, the grim reality is that drug trafficking continues unabated, with ever-expanding tentacles reaching vulnerable populations and pushing countless individuals into the abyss of self-harm.

The recently observed International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking served as a sombre reminder of the scale and severity of the problem. Statistics shared on this occasion revealed a troubling picture: drug trafficking is steadily rising, and the number of people succumbing to drug addiction is also on an upward trajectory. The authorities' struggle to counter these twin threats was candidly acknowledged by none other than the Home Adviser to the interim government. He admitted that the law enforcement and oversight agencies have not succeeded in stemming the tide, let alone eliminating it.

This admission underscores a critical policy failure --- the inability of institutions to keep pace with the rapidly evolving and highly organised networks of drug traffickers. These networks have become increasingly sophisticated, exploiting gaps in law enforcement, porous borders, weak regulatory systems and, in many cases, the collusion or negligence of officials. Traffickers have developed elaborate supply chains, with international links that channel narcotics across borders and into the hands of local distributors who, in turn, push drugs onto the streets.

Among the most trafficked substances are heroin, yaba (a methamphetamine-based pill), phensedyl, and cannabis. Yaba, in particular, has wreaked havoc among the youth, drawing them into a vicious cycle of craving, health deterioration, and crime. The high profit margins in this illegal trade incentivise ever more dangerous actors to enter the market, fuelling an arms race of sorts between traffickers and law enforcement agencies.

The number of drug addicts in the country is 8.3 million. While the drug addicted persons are predominantly male, addiction is also found among women and adolescents. This estimate comes from a recent survey, the first of its kind conducted by the government body, the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC).

According to the DNC survey, the number of men among the total addicts stands at 7.76 million, while 285,000 are women and 255,000 children and adolescents. Of the addicts, 6.1 million (52 per cent) are addicted to cannabis (ganja), 2.3 million (20 per cent) to yaba, 2.02 million (17 per cent) to alcohol, 346,000 to phensedyl and similar drugs, and 320,000 to heroin. The survey said 300,000 people take sleeping pills as drugs, 160,000 take glue/adhesives like dandy and 39,000 take intravenous drugs. While the substance-wise total adds up to around 11.7 million, many users are addicted to more than one substance, so the adjusted total is 8.3 million.

On each International Drug Day, the DNC publishes an annual 'Drug Report'. This year's version, Drug Report 2024, notes that despite not being a drug-producing country, Bangladesh is geographically vulnerable due to its proximity to international drug trafficking routes such as 'Golden Triangle' (Myanmar, Laos, Thailand), Golden Crescent (Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan), and Golden Wedge (parts of India, Nepal, Bhutan).

Bangladesh shares borders with India and Myanmar across 32 districts, making it a transit point for both traditional and synthetic drugs for over four decades. The report identifies 104 high-risk border points: 43 points at eight districts in the western region, 21 points at four districts in the eastern region, 21 points at five districts in the northern region and 19 points at Cox's Bazar.

According to the UNCTAD's (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) 2023 report, Bangladesh loses USD$481 million (approximately Tk 5,900 crore) annually to drug trafficking. Bangladesh ranks fifth in the world in terms of money laundering through drug trade.

The social fallout of rampant drug trafficking and abuse is profound. Families are torn apart as members become addicted, often turning to petty crime or even violent acts to feed their habit. Young people, who should be investing their time in education and skill-building, instead find their futures derailed by addiction. The broader community suffers from rising levels of insecurity, as drug-related crimes including robbery, extortion, and gang violence proliferate. Moreover, the burden on the healthcare system grows, with increasing numbers of addicts requiring medical attention, rehabilitation, and psychological support.

Despite these devastating consequences, the efforts to contain the problem have been piecemeal at best. While there have been periodic crackdowns and seizures of contraband, these measures are too often reactive rather than proactive, and lack the sustained momentum needed to dismantle the deeper structures of drug trafficking syndicates.

The admission by the Home Adviser of the authorities' failure to curb the drug menace should not be taken as a mere statement of fact but as a rallying cry for urgent, coordinated and determined action. Unabated drug trafficking is not just a law and order problem; it is a multifaceted societal crisis demanding comprehensive response. Political will must be mobilised at the highest levels, community initiatives ecouraged and supported, and enforcement mechanisms modernised and made more transparent.

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