Drug cases surge by 80% in Barishal

Drug-related cases in Barishal division rose by nearly 80 percent in the first six months of this year compared with the same period last year, according to data from the Barishal Range Deputy Inspector General’s office.

Police officials said the rise could reflect both increased drug use and intensified anti-drug operations.

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Between January and June, police filed 1,575 drug cases across the division’s six districts, up from 877 during the same period last year.

The sharpest increase was recorded in Bhola, where cases rose 263 percent, from 96 to 348. Jhalakathi saw a 164 percent increase, from 56 to 148.

Separately, Barishal Metropolitan Police (BMP) filed 638 cases at its four police stations during the same period. The Department of Narcotics Control filed 907 cases in Barishal district between June last year and May this year.

“I view the increase in drug cases positively as it indicates our operations are yielding results,” said Mohammad Zulfikar Ali Haider, DIG of Barishal Range. “However, it is also possible that drug distribution has expanded. We are launching an all-out campaign.”

He said they have launched a special anti-drug drive from September 6 to 19, with rewards for personnel recovering narcotics and disciplinary action for negligence or complicity.

BMP Commissioner Abu Rayhan Muhammad Saleh said police maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards drugs.

The police figures cover six districts, while the BMP figures are separate. The DNC’s 907 cases also cover a different 12-month period, from June last year to May this year.

According to DNC figures, 641 people received treatment at private rehabilitation centres over the past year.

“On average, three to four new users come to us daily,” said Mortuza Jewel, director of The New Life Drug Addiction and Mental Health Treatment Centre.

Dr Mizanur Rahman, an epidemiologist and former resident physician at Barishal General Hospital, said drug addiction should not be treated solely as a criminal issue.

“Drug addiction is also a mental, social and public health problem. Science-based treatment must be coupled with long-term rehabilitation,” he said.

DNC data show that 704 people were listed as drug traders in Barishal district and metropolitan areas in 2025, up from 297 the previous year.

The number of listed drug traders in Barishal district and metropolitan areas increased by 407 in a year, a rise of about 137 percent.

At the same time, people sought treatment at private rehabilitation centres, indicating the scale of demand for addiction services.

The figures suggest that the growing number of drug cases is accompanied by both an expanding network of suspected traders and continued demand for treatment and rehabilitation.

Officials from the DNC and local police said drug traders operate from urban slums and government-built Ashrayan housing projects, including sites in Banaripara upazila.

“Drug distribution has grown, and while we are conducting regular raids, enforcement alone is not enough,” said Tanvir Hossain Khan, deputy director of DNC in Barishal.

“Proper management and oversight of slums and Ashrayan settlements are essential to dismantle these networks,” he said.