Recovery is a lifelong journey, say experts on Recovery Month

Recovery from drug addiction is not simply about quitting drugs but an ongoing process of rebuilding health, relationships and livelihoods, speakers at a discussion in the capital said on Wednesday.

They also called for a public health-oriented approach to drug policy, stressing the need to expand treatment, rehabilitation and recovery support.

Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) and the Bangladesh Chapter of the International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP) jointly organised the event at DAM’s Health and Nutrition Sector meeting room in Shyamoli to mark Recovery Day 2026.

September is observed globally as Recovery Month, with this year’s theme being “Recovery Is Real: Restoring Every Aspect of Life”.

Psychiatrist Prof Dr MA Mohit Kamal, chairman of ISSUP Bangladesh, attended the event as a guest.

He said sustainable recovery required more than medical treatment, including family and peer support, aftercare, relapse prevention, and access to education and employment.

Returning to the same environment after treatment, unemployment, family conflicts and social stigma could drive people back to drug use, he warned.

He urged people not to label those with drug dependence as “addicts”, saying they were individuals living with a health condition.

In his keynote speech, Iqbal Masud, director of DAM’s Health and Nutrition Sector and general secretary of ISSUP Bangladesh, said a recent national study found that around 8.2 million people, or 4.88% of the population, use some form of drugs.

About 33% began using drugs between the ages of eight and 17, while 59% started between 18 and 25. Nearly 90% said drugs were easily accessible.

Around 69% wanted treatment or rehabilitation and 62% wanted counselling, but only 13% had access to treatment services, he said.

Stakeholders said the gap reflected a shortage of services, limited access to evidence-based treatment and widespread misconceptions about drug dependence.

The speakers said drug use should not be viewed solely as a law-and-order issue. They called for policies that consider decriminalising drug use and dependence to reduce stigma and encourage people to seek help.

Such measures, they said, should be accompanied by accessible treatment, rehabilitation, harm reduction and recovery support, while action against drug trafficking should continue.

They urged policymakers to integrate addiction treatment and counselling into district-level government healthcare services, establish a strong continuum of care, strengthen quality control and standards at treatment centres, and train more professionals.

They also called for specialised services for women and adolescents and policies that protect the dignity, rights and social inclusion of people affected by drug dependence.

“People want to recover, but access to necessary treatment, counselling and rehabilitation services is not reaching everyone,” they said.

DAM Senior Psychologist Rakhee Ganguly moderated the event.

Other speakers included Jamiaul Ahsan Shipu, senior reporter of Ittefaq, and Md Shamim Khan of Ashroy, Lutfur Rahman Manik of Safe Home and Md Shahabuddin Chowdhury Sumon of Utsho, all directors of private treatment centres.