The number of drug addicts increased in the country with an average of 114 patients taking treatment every day at public and private rehabilitation centres last year, according to the Department of Narcotics Control.

The number was 104 in 2018, and 69 in 2017.

A total of 90,133 people with addiction underwent treatment at the five government rehabilitation centres and 53,720 at the 324 private ones in the last five years.

The number of female addicts increased four times last year, according to DNC data. Ninety-one females took treatment at the government centres in 2018. The number was 360 from January to November last year.

“Easy availability of narcotics is the number one reason behind the rise in the number of drug addicts,” Prof Helal Uddin Ahmed of the National Institute of Mental Health told The Daily Star yesterday.

Social unrest, inability to cope with failures, boredom, loneliness, and changing family structure are among the things that lead people towards drugs, he added.

“The social media also makes people lonely,” said Prof Helal, a researcher on addiction.

Prof Arup Ratan Choudhury, founder of the Association for the Prevention of Drug Abuse, also blamed the availability of drugs for the problem.

“Anyone can buy drugs now from home by placing an order over phone or online,” he claimed.

Contacted, Sohel Rana, assistant inspector general at the Police Headquarters, said narcotics are now less available than before.

“Besides taking action against the traffickers, police ran many awareness campaigns. As a result, many people are now seeking treatment,” he said.

Law enforcers launched a crackdown on drug traders in May 2018.

The Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) yesterday observed its 30th anniversary at the capital’s Osmani Memorial Auditorium.

Addressing the event, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said that the young people were particularly at risk because most of the drug abusers were aged between 18 and 35 years.

“We have to rehabilitate those people by providing them with treatment,” he said.

The government has allocated Tk 1 crore to incentivise the private rehabilitation centres this fiscal year, he added.

Shahiduzzaman, secretary of Security Service Division, said there are no rehabilitation centres in 23 districts. “We have taken initiatives to establish facilities in these districts,” he added.

Referring to the widespread use of yaba, the home minister said yaba trafficking had not stopped because Myanmar didn’t keep its promise. “Myanmar promised on different occasions that they would take steps to stop yaba trafficking [into Bangladesh], but they haven’t taken any initiative.”

He added that the government was working to keep young people away from yaba.

Prof Ratan, who was the chief guest, said availability of yaba was the reason for the increasing number of addicts.

Regarding driving under influence, he said introducing dope tests for drivers can reduce road crashes.

Former housing and public works minister Mosharraf Hossain, also an Awami League presidium member, said liquor and beer are available even in departmental stores in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Many people would stop taking drugs if those drinks are available in stores, he observed.

DNC DG Jamal Uddin said the Narcotics Control Act 2018 has provisions for introducing dope tests during recruitment in government, semi-government and autonomous organisations.