Special Correspondent:

A quiet yet devastating crisis is sweeping through urban centers across Bangladesh, where substance abuse among women is rising at an unprecedented rate. Once treated as a male-dominated issue, drug dependency has aggressively breached all demographic lines—trapping students, corporate executives, medical doctors, entrepreneurs, and homemakers alike.

Data from the Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM)—a leading non-profit operating specialized rehabilitation services—reveals an acute capacity crunch fueled by the surge. The organization’s female treatment wing, equipped with just three residential beds, is currently struggling to accommodate 33 patients, many of whom suffer from severe co-occurring psychological disorders.

An analysis of female patients treated at DAM over the last six months paints a grim picture:

Demographics: 73% of female addicts are aged between 14 and 35, while 24% fall into the 36–45 age groups.

Primary Substances: Methamphetamine (Yaba) dominates consumption at 45%, followed closely by cannabis at 43%, and alcohol at 7%.

Geographic Concentration: 77% of all patients currently under care reside in the capital city.

TRAPPED BY PEER PRESSURE AND BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS:

Personal accounts show that entry into substance abuse often stems from intimate relationships or social environments.

Paramita (not her real name), an 18-year-old high school graduate from Bhola, moved to Dhaka after marrying Russell (pseudonym). Shortly after enrolling in a private university, Paramita was introduced to cigarettes and Yaba by university friends. As her dependency grew, efforts to rehabilitate her failed, ultimately causing her marriage to dissolve. Russell has since relocated to Japan for higher studies, while Paramita’s current situation remains unknown.

Similarly, 39-year-old Ruma—a mother of three—began using cigarettes and cannabis through her late husband before transitioning to Yaba under peer pressure.

“I initially believed drugs helped reduce stress, cope with loneliness, and fit in socially,” Ruma recalled from a Dhaka recovery facility. As her home life worsened due to her husband’s mental health struggles and ongoing family discord, her dependency escalated, leading to total domestic breakdown and severe emotional isolation.

For Nila, 41, drug use started shortly after her marriage in studentship. Following the birth of her second child, her addiction intensified that triggers explosive anger, insomnia, property damage and severe aggression. The behavior led to consecutive divorces before she finally received medical rehabilitation in Dhaka. She has since recovered and holds a position at a private firm.

RISING ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION:

Alongside synthetic narcotics, alcohol intake among young urban women is seeing a noticeable uptick.

According to the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC), over 1,000 young women have been submitted applications for official alcohol drinking permits this year.

DNC records indicate that by June 30, approximately 700 permits were officially issued to female applicants, with hundreds more pending final clearance. The highest concentrations of female permit holders are recorded in Dhaka’s commercial and residential hubs. Of them, 288 are from Gulshan, 207 from Uttara and 62 from Tejgaon.

DNC officials noted that, a significant portion of these permit holders are employed professionally as bar staff across commercial venues in the metropolis.

Addressing the rise, DNC Assistant Director and Spokesperson Md. Abdul Halim Raj clarified that, permit issuance is strictly regulatory: “Adults who meet the mandatory legal conditions can apply for an alcohol permit. The process does not discriminate based on gender.” He added that comparative statistical breakdowns against past years were not immediately available.