Is Weed Legal in Bangladesh?

Last reviewed: August 6, 2026

Recreational marijuana is illegal in the People's Republic of Bangladesh. Cannabis is controlled under the Narcotics Control Act, 2018 (Act No. 63 of 2018), which replaced the Narcotics Control Act, 1990 and is enforced by the Department of Narcotics Control under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Cannabis (ganja) and its preparations are controlled narcotics under the Act's schedule. Penalties scale with quantity: possession of up to five kilograms of ganja carries six months to five years' imprisonment plus fines, five to fifteen kilograms carries five to seven years, and more than fifteen kilograms carries seven to ten years, with cultivation separately tiered up to seven to ten years for more than 500 plants. Unlike yaba, heroin, and cocaine, cannabis offenses do not carry the death penalty under the 2018 Act's penalty schedule, which replaced the harsher quantity rules of the 1990 law. Production, cultivation, processing, sale, transport, and consumption are all prohibited. The 2018 Act criminalized cannabis use in shisha pipes and other newer modes. Historically, bhang (a cannabis leaf preparation) was sold under colonial-era licenses and continued informally after independence, but the 1990 Act formally ended licensed bhang sale; no medical or industrial framework exists today.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Verify current law with qualified counsel before making compliance decisions.