Feasibility of Decriminalizing Small-Quantity Drug Use in Bangladesh Considering Legal, Political and International Perspectives

  • Md. Manjurul Islam Department of Narcotics Control, Ministry of Home Affairs, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Keywords: Drug Decriminalization, Public Health, Rehabilitation, Political Resistance, Legal Reform, International Policy Models

Abstract

This study evaluates the feasibility of decriminalizing minor drug use in Bangladesh, taking into account legal, political, public health, and international viewpoints. Data was gathered by a quantitative method using a structured questionnaire from a varied group of participants, including legal experts, lawmakers, healthcare professionals, and members of the public. The results show that a lot of people support decriminalization, especially because it would ease the strain on the criminal justice system and put more emphasis on rehabilitation than punishment. But political opposition, worries about public safety, and not having enough rehabilitation services are still big problems that make it hard to make these changes. International models, especially those from Portugal and Uruguay, were shown to have a big effect on how people think. The paper indicates that although decriminalization presents potential advantages, it is imperative to tackle legal, political, and healthcare infrastructure constraints for effective policy transformation in Bangladesh.

References

Arif, M., Salman-Al-Mamun K.M, Chandra, R., Zafar, S. M., & Halimuzzaman Md. (2025). Assessing the Adoption of IFRS and Its Effects on Financial Reporting Quality in Developing Countries. Business and Social Sciences, 3(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.25163/business.3110312

Basak, S., Gazi, Md. D. H., & Mazharul Hoque Chowdhury, S. M. (2020). A Review Paper on Comparison of Different Algorithm Used in Text Summarization. In D. J. Hemanth, S. Shakya, & Z. Baig (Eds.), Intelligent Data Communication Technologies and Internet of Things (Vol. 38, pp. 114–119). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-34080-3_13

Bhuiyan, Md. M. H., Dey, K. N., Saha, P., Sarker, P. K., Md. Halimuzzaman, & Biswas, Md. T. (2025). EXPLORING THE ROLE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN TRANSFORMING HR PRACTICES. International Journal of Business Management and Economic Review, 08(01), 98–110. https://doi.org/10.35409/IJBMER.2025.3646

Chowdhury, A. (2025). Title: Comparative Study of Narcotics Control Law: Bangladesh vs. India.

Cochran, W. G. (1942). Sampling Theory When the Sampling-Units are of Unequal Sizes. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 37(218), 199–212. https://doi.org/10.1080/01621459.1942.10500626

Fischer, B., Boyd, N., & Brochu, S. (2022). Proposals for Decriminalization of Illicit Drug Use: Considering a Combination of déjà-vu , Diversion and Devil-with-many-details for Health-oriented Policy Reform. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 67(1), 13–15. https://doi.org/10.1177/07067437211019656

Girdenis, T., Laurinaitis, M., & Rotomskis, I. (2025). Endless debate: Decriminalization of the illicit disposal of small quantities of drugs or psychotropic substances for non-distribution purposes. Statute Law Review, 46(3), hmaf028. https://doi.org/10.1093/slr/hmaf028

Greer, A., Bonn, M., Shane, C., Stevens, A., Tousenard, N., & Ritter, A. (2022). The details of decriminalization: Designing a non-criminal response to the possession of drugs for personal use. International Journal of Drug Policy, 102, 103605. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103605

Gruben, V., Hyshka, E., Bonn, M., Cox, C., Gagnon, M., Guta, A., Jackman, M., Mercredi, J., Munga, A., Oscapella, E., Strike, C., & Virani, H. (2024). Urgent and long overdue: Legal reform and drug decriminalization in Canada. FACETS, 9, 1–28. https://doi.org/10.1139/facets-2022-0080

Halimuzzaman, M., & Sharma, J. (2024a). The Role of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) in Improving the Accounting Information System for Organizations. In A. Khang, P. K. Dutta, S. Gupta, N. Ayedee, & S. Chatterjee, Revolutionizing the AI-Digital Landscape (1st ed., pp. 263–274). Productivity Press. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781032688305-19

Halimuzzaman, M., Sharma, J., Hossain, M. I., Akand, F., Islam, M. N., Ikram, M. M., & Khan, N. N. (2024). Healthcare Service Quality Digitization with Enterprise Resource Planning. Journal of Angiotherapy, 8(5), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.25163/angiotherapy.859716

Halimuzzaman, M., Sharma, J., Karim, M. R., Hossain, Md. R., Azad, M. A. K., & Alam, Md. M. (2025). Enhancement of Organizational Accounting Information Systems and Financial Control through Enterprise Resource Planning. In A. Khang, B. Jadhav, V. Abdullayev Hajimahmud, & I. Satpathy, Synergy of AI and Fintech in the Digital Gig Economy (1st ed., pp. 299–315). CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003621454-19

Halimuzzaman, M., Sharma, J., & Khang, A. (2024). Enterprise Resource Planning and Accounting Information Systems: Modeling the Relationship in Manufacturing. In Machine Vision and Industrial Robotics in Manufacturing. CRC Press.

Halimuzzaman, Md., Atif, H. M., Kumar, P., & Salehin, M. (2024). Public Relation and Educational Outcomes of Films in Bangladesh: A Study on Hawa. Journal of Primeasia, 5(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.25163/primeasia.519834

Halimuzzaman, Md., & Sharma, J. (2024b). Applications of Accounting Information System (AIS)under Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP): A Comprehensive Review. International Journal of Early Childhood Special Education (INT-JECSE).

Honey, S. (2025). Analyzing the Impact of Attitudes toward Personalized Advertising on the Buying Behavior of Millennials in Bangladesh. RSIS International, 9(XV/May 2025), 721–731. https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.915EC0051

Honey, S., & Hossain, M. J. (2024). Consumer Perception of Eco-Friendly Apparel: Insights from Bangladesh’s RMG Sector. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS), VIII. Https://Doi. Org/10.47772/IJRISS, 8(XI November 2024). https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2024.8110197

Honey, S., & Sultana, R. (2023). Analysis of Waste Management System in Bangladesh- A Study on Some Selected RMG Industries. Journal of Economics and Development Studies, 12(Number 1-2023).

Husain, T. (2024). Unveiling the failure: A comprehensive analysis of Bangladesh’s war on drugs. Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice, 10(3/4), 166–179. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCRPP-03-2024-0013

Imran, S. M. A., Islam, S., Kabir, N., Uddin, I., Ali, K., & Halimuzzaman, Md. (2024). Consumer Behavior and Sustainable Marketing Practices in the Ready-Made Garments Industry. International Journal of Management Studies and Social Science Research, 06(06), 152–161. https://doi.org/10.56293/IJMSSSR.2024.5322

Islam, M. S. H., Rubel, M. R. B., Hossain, M. I., Kamruzzaman, Md., Akter, S., Halimuzzaman, Md., & Karim, M. R. (2024). Impact of financial and internet support on SME performance: Moderating effect of technology adoption during COVID-19 pandemic. World Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology and Sciences, 13(2), 105–118. https://doi.org/10.30574/wjaets.2024.13.2.0533

Islam, Md. A., Goldar, S. C., Imran, S. A., Halimuzzaman, Md., & Hasan, S. (2025). AI-Driven green marketing strategies for eco-friendly tourism businesses. International Journal of Tourism and Hotel Management, 7(1), 56–60. https://doi.org/10.22271/27069583.2025.v7.i1a.125

Kalamarides, D. J. (2023). Sex as a Biological Variable in Opioid Withdrawal Behavior and Midbrain Inhibitory Signaling [PhD Thesis, University of Pennsylvania]. https://search.proquest.com/openview/97c24f905d1655eb6e14df870939662b/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y

Khondkar, M., & Honey, S. (2022). SUSTAINABLE MARKETING IN THE READY-MADE GARMENTS (RMG) SECTOR OF BANGLADESH. Indonesian Journal of Social Research (IJSR), 4(2), 96–108. https://doi.org/10.30997/ijsr.v4i2.183

Kopra, E. I., Penttinen, J., Rucker, J. J., & Copeland, C. S. (2025). Psychedelic-related deaths in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (1997–2022). Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 136, 111177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnpbp.2024.111177

Larkin, P. J. (2024). Oregon’s Drug Decriminalization Debacle. Tex. Rev. L. & Pol., 29, 81.

Li, H.-L. (Ed.). (2024). Lanson Lectures in Bioethics (2016-2022): Assisted Suicide, Responsibility, and Pandemic Ethics. Springer Nature Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-42052-8

Medley, B. D. (2025). Ghosts of Navassa: Race and Violence at the Heart of America’s Guano Empire [PhD Thesis, George Mason University]. https://search.proquest.com/openview/54b2718c6b7dd4d461ca6e46153b5ed2/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y

Petranker, R. (2025). A RIGOROUS DOUBLE-BLIND RANDOMIZED-CONTROLLED TRIAL ON MICRODOSING PSILOCYBIN OVER EIGHT WEEKS. https://macsphere.mcmaster.ca/handle/11375/31666

Quintas, J., & Rêgo, X. (2024). Is decriminalising drugs enough? Navigating alternatives to prohibitionism. SOCIOLOGIA ON LINE, (36), 73–96. https://doi.org/10.30553/sociologiaonline.2024.36.5

Rahman, M. A., Hossain, M. R., Hossain, M. A., & Amran, M. S. (2021). A Study on the National Drug Policies of Bangladesh to Ensure Health for All. Dhaka University Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 20(1), 41–48. https://doi.org/10.3329/dujps.v19i2.50856

Roth, L., Gotsis, T., Lamerton, C., & Rabbani, A. (2024). Illicit drug policy: Developments since the 2020 Ice Inquiry report. https://read-me.org/s/illicit-drug-policy-sswn.pdf

Schecter, D., & Cyr, C. (2022). Patient Evaluation: Precautions and Managing Expectations. In C. Cyr, M. P. Davis, D. Schecter, & P. Daeninck, Cannabis and Cannabinoid-Based Medicines in Cancer Care (pp. 153–190). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-89918-9_6

Shahid, H., & Neufeld, S. (2025). Lay Perspectives on Drug (De)Criminalization and the (De)Stigmatization of People Who Use Illicit Drugs. Contemporary Drug Problems, 52(2), 170–188. https://doi.org/10.1177/00914509241292479

Sharfuddin, M., Halimuzzaman, M., Akter, F., Dey, K. N., & Saha, P. (2025). Employee Motivation and Behavior in Construction Engineering Projects. International Journal of Social Science and Economic Research, 10(1), 342–372. https://doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2025.v10i01.019

Smith, C. (2022). Over-privileged: Legal cannabis, drug offending & the right to family integrity. SDL Rev., 67, 569.

Sohel, Md. S., Shi, G., Zaman, N. T., Hossain, B., Halimuzzaman, Md., Akintunde, T. Y., & Liu, H. (2022). Understanding the Food Insecurity and Coping Strategies of Indigenous Households during COVID-19 Crisis in Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh: A Qualitative Study. Foods, 11(19), 3103. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11193103

Soylemez, K. K., de Boo, E. M., & Lusher, J. (2025). Regulatory challenges of integrating psychedelics into mental health sector. Psychoactives, 4(2), 11.

Unlu, A., Tammi, T., & Hakkarainen, P. (2022). Policy windows for drug consumption rooms in Finland. Nordic Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 39(3), 205–224. https://doi.org/10.1177/14550725211069287

Wai, H. H. (2024). A Study on Narcotic Drug Control Activities in Myanmar (A Case Study of the Capacity of Drug Control Organizations in Yangon)(Htet Htet Wai, 2024) [PhD Thesis, MERAL Portal]. https://meral.edu.mm/record/9870/files/Htet%20Htet%20Wai,%20EMPA-11,%2019th%20Batch.pdf

Wilkerson, A. H., Sharma, M., Davis, R. E., Stephens, P. M., Kim, R. W., Bhati, D., & Nahar, V. K. (2023). Predisposing, enabling and reinforcing factors associated with opioid addiction helping behaviour in tri-state Appalachian counties: Application of the PRECEDE–PROCEED model–cross-sectional analysis. BMJ Open, 13(5), e066147. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-066147

Published
2026-04-27
How to Cite
Manjurul Islam, M. (2026). Feasibility of Decriminalizing Small-Quantity Drug Use in Bangladesh Considering Legal, Political and International Perspectives. International Journal of Social Science Research and Review, 9(5), 27-47. https://doi.org/10.47814/ijssrr.v9i5.3304