January 26, 2026
DHAKA – The survey also found that an average drug user spends up to Tk 6,000 per month, while the majority of substance users are young.
About 33 percent of respondents reported first using drugs between the ages of eight and 17, while 59 percent said they began between 18 and 25, indicating early exposure and high vulnerability among adolescents and youth.
BMU and Research and Management Consultants Limited (RMCL) jointly conducted the study between February and June last year. The findings were disseminated at a programme at BMU today.
According to a BMU press release, data were collected using the Network Scale-Up Method (NSUM) from 13 districts and 26 upazilas across all eight divisions. The research was supervised by the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC).
The findings were presented by Chief Investigator Prof Saif Ullah Munshi, also dean of the Faculty of Basic Science and Para-Clinical Sciences.
The total estimated number of people using any type of substance nationwide stands at 8,194,605, the survey said.
Cannabis was identified as the most widely used drug, with around 61 lakh users. It was followed by yaba or methamphetamine (approximately 22.92 lakh users) and alcohol (20.20 lakh).
The survey estimated that around 39,000 people inject drugs, placing them at high risk of HIV, hepatitis and other infectious diseases.
Other substances used include codeine phosphate (33.9 lakh users), heroin (32.26 lakh), and sleeping pills (3.05 lakh). Smaller numbers were reported for crystal meth or ice (11,888 users), LSD (5,095), and other substances (135,864).
The prevalence rate of substance use varied significantly across divisions. Mymensingh recorded the highest rate at 6.02 percent, followed by Rangpur at 6.00 percent and Chattogram at 5.50 percent.
Lower prevalence rates were observed in Rajshahi (2.72 percent) and Khulna (4.08 percent).
Division-wise estimated numbers of substance users are: Barishal 404,118; Chattogram 1,879,503; Dhaka 2,287,970; Khulna 726,210; Mymensingh 760,812; Rajshahi 566,509; Rangpur 1,080,588; and Sylhet 488,141.
Speaking at the programme, BMU Vice-Chancellor Prof Shahinul Alam stressed the need for political commitment and continued research to combat drug abuse.
“There is no reason to believe that only a small group of ‘bad’ people are addicted to drugs or that our children are safe. In reality, we and our children are all at risk,” he said, urging collective action.
DNC Director General Hasan Maruf said people across the country remain vulnerable to drug addiction and emphasised the need for sustained social movements and collective campaigns to counter the threat.