A booming drug rehabilitation industry has taken hold across Dhaka — from the affluent neighbourhoods of the capital to the city’s most crowded back alleys. But behind signboards promising “care,” “cure” and “recovery,” many of these centres operate like sub-jails, where patients are confined, mistreated and extorted under the guise of treatment.
An investigation by Bangladesh Post reveals a disturbing picture of a booming yet largely unregulated drug rehabilitation industry — one marked by poor care, overcrowding, abuse and administrative negligence.
Many centres are run by untrained staff, operate outside the law, and in some cases even appear to function with the tacit support of corrupt officials, exposing the dark underside of a sector that claims to offer treatment but often delivers exploitation instead.
Owners of legitimate, standard-compliant rehab centres allege that a section of officials within the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) are aiding the rapid spread of low-quality centres by ignoring licensing rules and monitoring requirements.
While the department continues issuing drug-use permits, it simultaneously promotes the modernisation of treatment centres — a contradiction that creates opportunities for profit on both sides.
Visits to multiple centres across the city found patients kept in prison-like conditions, with: severely overcrowded rooms, locked iron gates, little light or ventilation, no trained caregivers, no resident or visiting psychiatrist, and no certified doctor on staff.
Some centres are run by individuals who admit to being former addicts without any formal training, while others appear to be managed by families as personal businesses.
Just as in the city, drugs can be delivered to a buyer as easily as daily essentials, similarly anyone can run a “rehabilitation centre” if they wish.
One such facility is the “Holy Life” Drug Addiction Treatment Centre near Malibagh Railgate under Ramna Circle. Established in 2003, the centre’s records at the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) list Alhaj M. Main Uddin Ahmed as the director. However, when a reporter visited the centre on 4 November, a man identifying himself as “Company Secretary”, Md Misbah Uddin Talukdar (Mamun), claimed that the director had died “long ago”. The operational responsibilities are now handled by his son, Md Fayez Uddin.
Despite being registered as a 45-bed facility with managerial staff in place, there was no sign of a doctor — neither full-time nor part-time — and no psychiatrist or trained counsellor. The centre operates from the third floor of a six-storey building that resembles a jail block more than a treatment centre. The building has limited ventilation, small windows and no fire-safety system. An iron collapsible gate guards the third-floor entrance, behind which sit desks, lockers and stacks of paperwork.
According to DNC guidelines, drug treatment centres must ensure ample light, ventilation and a calm environment for recovery. But “Holy Life” offers the opposite. The centre is positioned directly beside a bustling rail line and constant traffic noise, making it an unsuitable setting for rehabilitation. To make matters worse, there are allegations that a tin-shed room, built in violation of the approved design, is used to house patients. Journalists face strict restrictions when attempting to enter or speak with staff — an unusual practice for a facility claiming to offer medical care.
A few kilometres away, on Rampura’s DIT Road, sits another centre — “Sneho Nir”, founded by Alamgir Hossain. After his death two years ago, his daughter, Shishir Ahmed, assumed responsibility, while day-to-day operations are overseen by Maksudur Rahman Rajib, who openly acknowledges that he was once a drug addict himself. Rajib claims to be fully recovered and has been running the centre since 2009.
Operating from the second floor of a residential building, “Sneho Nir” maintains tight internal control, keeping its doors locked from the inside. The 10-bed centre currently holds around 20 patients, each charged Tk 8,000–15,000 per month for food, lodging and treatment. Rajib insists the centre is legal and offers treatment at lower costs than most facilities, and says he relies on his “experience” as a former addict rather than formal medical training. Ownership documentation, however, remains unclear, and during the visit, Rajib was observed receiving money from families through digital transactions.
Further inside South Banasree’s Goran area lie two more centres—“Joy of Life” and “Prashanti”. “Prashanti” operates from a rented garage and two shuttered shops, while “Joy of Life” is run from a single-storey building. Both share similar cramped, poorly ventilated spaces where cooking, eating and sleeping occur in the same room. There are no doctors, no trained counsellors and no medical equipment.
According to Apu Ahmed, a senior staff member at “Joy of Life”, three-person rooms cost Tk 25,000 per month and six-person rooms Tk 15,000. Male patients aged 14–65 are treated there. Apu also described strict restrictions: families must sign a waiver absolving the centre of any responsibility if a patient dies, and no family visits are allowed during the first 40 days. A doctor visits only once a month, and the staff manage all counselling. The centre charges Tk 6,000 to bring a patient from home, and the phone numbers listed on Apu’s card actually belong to the husband of the true owner, Jyotsna Alam, and the managing director. Locals openly refer to the centre as a “husband–wife rehab business”.
These centres represent only a small sample of the more than 100 drug addiction treatment centres operating in Dhaka. Many of them hold DNC-issued licences as “service organisations”, but in practice most lack basic medical care. Allegations commonly include extortion, drug dealing, physical torture and severe negligence.
The “Guidance” Drug Treatment Centre in Nikunja-2 is yet another example. Official DNC documents list its address as House 15, Road 8, but when the reporter visited, the centre was nowhere to be found. A caretaker said it had relocated to House 23, Road 12. Its director, Md Shafiqul Islam, initially refused to speak but later admitted that licensing requirements — such as employing psychiatrists, doctors and trained nurses — were difficult to meet because of insufficient government grants. He added that the lack of cooperation from local authorities and the absence of a proper guardian verification system make operations difficult. He also criticised the unrealistic requirement that centres operate from the exact address used during licensing, especially when most centres function from rented properties.
At “Zaman’s Clinic” — another mental health and addiction treatment centre in Nikunja-2 — the situation is no better. The clinic, which is approved by the Directorate General of Health Services, is located inside a residential building packed with shops, offices and educational institutions. Locals describe the environment as inappropriate for any form of clinical care.
In Turag’s Pakuria area, the “Poritran” addiction treatment centre presents a slightly different picture. Its director, Md Mahmudur Rahman, said that while local police sometimes assist, political pressure often complicates the admission of local residents. According to him, guardians and patients enjoy more legal protection than treatment centres do, often leading to operational conflict. He highlighted the need for clearer guidelines on which types of complaints can be formally lodged against rehab centres.
The “Srishti Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Home” in Kajirgaon, Demra, sits in yet another unsafe setting — a third-floor space surrounded by drug dens, bus repair garages, chemical warehouses and constant noise. Although registered as a 30-bed centre, it operates in only 1,800 square feet of space — far too small even for 10 beds. Its director, Nur Alam Zaved, admitted that he has applied for more beds and has received government grants three times in eight years. During visits, however, there was no sign of any psychiatrist or psychologist.
Similarly, the “Safe House Mental & Addiction Treatment Centre”, listed at 54/A PC Culture Housing Society in Shyamoli, was not found at its registered address. Locals pointed instead to House 70, where a signboard indicated some form of treatment activity, though no information about medical staff or treatment standards was visible.
Former patients from several centres described horrifying conditions — inedible food, forced confinement, no access to family, and routine beatings for complaining. One man from Uttara said his family paid Tk 40,000 monthly, yet he lived in unhygienic conditions with poor-quality meals. Another reported that drug use was allowed inside the centre and that staff sold drugs to outsiders. According to him, much of the money collected from families was not used for patient welfare.
When contacted, Md Manzurul Islam, the Deputy Director of DNC Dhaka Metro South, said that 30 registered centres currently operate under his jurisdiction and that the department conducts regular inspections. He acknowledged that licence transfers require formal applications and that centres must notify the department of any address change. He also noted that the list of centres selected for government grants this year has already been submitted.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has recently introduced the “Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre Policy 2025”, effective from January 1, 2025. The policy updates earlier versions and aims to bring all treatment centres under strict regulation. It mandates the presence of at least one part-time doctor, one psychiatrist, one counsellor and trained caregivers in every centre. Facilities must maintain hygiene, adequate ventilation, safety measures and proper documentation. All financial transactions must be made through bank accounts, and centres must upload annual data and progress reports to the DNC website. Centres violating rules or mistreating patients risk suspension or cancellation of their licence.
Despite these reforms, the reality on the ground remains bleak. Overcrowding, mismanagement, unsafe infrastructure and human rights violations are rampant. Until enforcement becomes consistent and centres are held accountable, Dhaka’s drug rehabilitation sector will continue to pose severe risks to some of the city’s most vulnerable individuals.
According to the Department of Narcotics Control Dhaka Metro North, the following institutions are registered: Support, Beacon Point Ltd, Rescue, Insight Psycho-Social Care & Research, Athena Ltd, Holy Life, Return, Brain & Mind Hospital (Pvt) Ltd, Life & Light Hospital, Mukti Mental & Addiction Treatment Centre, Brain & Life Hospital, Kriya, Dhaka Ahsania Mission, New Tori, Nawab Siraj-ud-Doula, New Life, Safe House, Baraka Women’s Drug Treatment & Rehabilitation Centre, Yes Medical, Niramoy Hospital, Joita Nir Medical Centre, Iqra, Apon Thikana, Right Turn, Ghorefera, Sober Life, Ashroy Rehabilitation Centre, Golden Life, Omega Point, Safe Home, Ashroy Nir, New Arjon, New Future Life, Brothers, Dhaka Psychological Clinic (Pvt) Ltd, Jyoti, Mirpur Addiction Treatment Centre, North Star, New Neer, Monniramoy, Joy, Green Life, Seba Foundation of Recovery, Light House Clinic, AMC (Addiction Management Centre), Fera, Fair Life, Recovery Foundation, Amar Home, Jugantor, Barta, Rainbow, Re-Life, Hills, Challenges Bridge to Recovery, Adorer Chhoa, Good Life, Songo, Ahoban, Susthatar Poth, Poritran, Utsyo, Empathy Addiction Treatment Centre, Rising Flowers, Icon Care Ltd.
The Dhaka Metro South list includes 27 institutions such as Promises Medical Ltd, Prottay Medical Clinic Ltd, Guidance, Abiskar, Arjon, Relation, Satya, Aloukik, SAS of Life, Prashanti, Shopno, Griho Neer, Joy of Life, Active, Care Trees Psychiatric & Drug Addiction, Return, Society for Social Peaceful Life, Peace Centre, Srijon, Utsob, Serapath, Safe Centre Social Welfare Organisation, Fair Haven, Chhaya, Alor Path, Moonlight, Hilicare and Ami Addiction Management Centre.
