Is Methamphetamine legal in Bangladesh?
- Legal status
- Methamphetamine (yaba) controlled under the Narcotics Control Act 2018 — DEATH PENALTY or life for 200 g or more; under 200 g, 1–5 years (under 5 g up to 5 years)
- Consequences if caught
- Methamphetamine — yaba (methamphetamine/amphetamine), newly defined in Bangladesh's Narcotics Control Act 2018 (in force 27 December 2018) — is a controlled narcotic. Trading, producing, transporting, storing or using 200 g or more carries the DEATH PENALTY or life imprisonment; under 200 g draws 1–5 years, and under 5 g up to 5 years. Financing or patronizing drug dealing carries the death penalty as the maximum. The death penalty is current and in force.
- If prescribed or medical
- Not a prescribed traveller medicine in this form.
- Documentation
- The Narcotics Control Act 2018 (in force 27 December 2018) carries the DEATH PENALTY or life imprisonment for trading, producing, transporting, storing or using 200 g or more of yaba (methamphetamine/amphetamine) OR 25 g or more of heroin, cocaine or coca-derived narcotics; financing or patronizing drug dealing carries the death penalty as the maximum. Below those thresholds: under 200 g of yaba draws 1–5 years (under 5 g up to 5 years); under 25 g of Category-A narcotics (heroin/cocaine) draws 2–10 years. Cannabis is controlled in a lower category (Article 19 lineage) with penalties from 6 months to life by quantity, but is NOT a capital offence. Yaba/methamphetamine, shisha and khat were newly defined in the 2018 Act, which also introduced a dope-test provision. There is NO medical-cannabis program. The death penalty is current and in force (the last known drug execution was in 2009 per HRI, but the 2018 Act re-armed it). Carry any controlled medicine with its prescription and confirm requirements with your embassy before travel.
- Narcotics Control Act 2018 (in force 27 December 2018
- replaced the 1990 Act)
- unodc.org
- hri.global
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Bangladesh’s embassy or official drug authority before traveling; penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.
Before you travel
Verify current rules with the destination country’s official drug authority and your own country’s embassy before traveling. Find the destination’s U.S. embassy & official country guidance →
Non-U.S. travelers: check your own government’s travel advisory and embassy.
If you’re detained or arrested abroad
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