Dhaka, March 7 -- A silent epidemic is gripping the heartland of Bangladesh, where the picturesque rural landscape masks a grim reality: a growing drug crisis that is devastating the youth, eroding social values, and plunging communities into despair.

Cannabis and methamphetamine, particularly the potent Yaba tablets, have infiltrated these once-tranquil villages, ensnaring adolescents as young as 13 in a relentless cycle of addiction.

The most vulnerable age group, between 13 and 22 years, is experiencing alarming rates of substance abuse.

The drug trade has flourished unchecked, with open drug dens operating in villages such as Rajapur, Dokhaiya, and Hatirpara.

Local residents describe a system riddled with corruption, where law enf...