Khulna has become a major corridor for drug smuggling, with traffickers exploiting road and rail networks to transport Yaba pills and other narcotics from Cox’s Bazar to Jashore via Khulna.
The ineffectiveness of authorities in ensuring stringent legal action has further emboldened these criminal networks.
Due to its convenient transport links, smugglers have increasingly favoured this route, using a variety of tactics to evade detection.
Drugs such as Yaba, cannabis and Phensedyl are being trafficked through the district’s border points and discreetly distributed across the country.
Although law enforcement agencies in Khulna are actively conducting operations to seize narcotics and arrest those involved, the persistence of drug trafficking remains a significant challenge.
Major Drug Seizure in Khulna
In a recent operation, law enforcement authorities arrested two people, including a Rohingya national, and confiscated 9,000 Yaba tablets—Khulna’s largest-ever haul of the illicit drug.
The detainees have been identified as Touhidul Karim, 25, son of Mozar Mia from Kutupalong Rohingya Camp in Cox’s Bazar, and Imran Khan, 31, son of Shahidul Khan from Keshabpur Upazila in Jashore.
During the raid, the Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) also recovered four counterfeit Tk 1,000 notes, two mobile phones, and a forged National ID card.
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Under interrogation, Imran Khan disclosed that Touhidul had rented a house in Ghoshpara, Palbari under Kotwali Police Station in Jashore, which was being used as a base for trafficking Yaba pills.
Additional Commissioner of KMP, Kutubuddin, said, “This is the largest seizure of Yaba in our force’s history, surpassing the previous record of 4,500 pills. A fake Bangladeshi National ID card was also recovered from the Rohingya arrestee. We are investigating the sources, transporters, financiers, and masterminds behind the drug trade to take decisive legal action against them.”
Key Drug Smuggling Routes
Intelligence sources reveal that traffickers smuggle various drugs through the bordering district of Satkhira via Chuknagar in Khulna and from Jashore via Keshabpur, Chuknagar and Abhaynagar to Phultala. Besides, the Jashore-Benapole commuter train is frequently used to transport drugs into Khulna.
Satkhira and Jashore routes serve as major transit points for smuggling Phensedyl, Yaba and other narcotics from India into Bangladesh.
Authorities have identified Zero Point and Pather Bazar under Khan Jahan Ali Police Station as key drug smuggling hubs.
Meanwhile, illicit substances are being transported to Daulatpur and Khulna railway stations using the Benapole-Khulna commuter train.
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Women are often used as carriers, concealing drugs within other goods before distributing them across the country through well-organised networks.
Persistence of the Drug Trade
Despite ongoing crackdowns, many drug traders manage to secure bail and resume their illicit activities. Intelligence reports highlight numerous drug trafficking hotspots, including:
Khulna City: 44 points in Khalishpur, 14 in Khulna Sadar, 14 in Khan Jahan Ali, 11 in Labanchara, 10 in Daulatpur, seven in Aranghata, six in Sonadanga and three in Harintana Police Station areas.
Surrounding Upazilas: Seven areas in Terokhada, nine in Dacope, four in Paikgacha, two in Koyra, as well as multiple locations in Batiaghata, Digholia and Rupsha upazilas.
Shafiqul Islam, officer-in-charge of Sonadanga Police Station, said, “Around 44 buses operate from the Sonadanga bus stand, many of which are used to smuggle drugs to border areas such as Jashore and Satkhira.”
He added that a portion of these narcotics enters Dhaka, while others are smuggled across international borders.
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The growing use of Khulna as a hub for drug trafficking underscores the urgent need for enhanced law enforcement measures. While authorities continue their efforts to curb the trade, the resilience of smuggling networks highlights systemic weaknesses in enforcement and legal deterrence.
Strengthening border security, increasing surveillance on transport routes and ensuring strict legal consequences for offenders will be critical in dismantling the region’s thriving narcotics trade.