ILLICIT DRUG FLOWS AND SECURITY CONCERNS ACROSS THE BANGLADESH-MYANMAR BORDER

This study argues that illicit drugs should not be understood only as material commodities; rather, they are socially and geopolitically constructed phenomena, especially in the Bangladesh–Myanmar borderlands. Drug trafficking in these border areas poses serious challenges to human security, public health, law and order, and the national economy of Bangladesh. The country’s porous borders with Myanmar and India, along with its long coastline along the Bay of Bengal, have created extensive smuggling networks. Bangladesh’s geographic proximity to the Golden Triangle, Golden Crescent, and Golden Wedge has further increased its role as a transit route and market for illegal drugs. Based on secondary data, this paper examines the dynamics of drug trafficking along the Bangladesh–Myanmar border and explores policy responses to address the problem. It also proposes a theoretical framework linking illicit drug trade to porous borders, illicit flows, and broader geopolitical factors.