The proposal to crack down on the spread of methamphetamine comes after Bangladesh seized more than 40 million pills of the narcotic in 2017 – double the previous year.

Authorities want to elevate methamphetamine to a Class A banned substance, meaning traffickers would face the death penalty instead of life behind bars.

Bangladesh law enforcement say the drugs are smuggled across Bangladesh’s border with Myanmar.

Jamaluddin Ahmed, the head of Bangladesh’s narcotics control department, said traffickers had been more active since August, when Rohingya refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar began pouring into Bangladesh.

Gangs had been using the Rohingya as mules and hiding drugs in fishing boats used to ferry the persecuted Muslims to safety.

Raids of fishing boats have uncovered huge hauls of the drug.

Authorities said last week that nine million methamphetamine tablets were seized in less than three months as the refugee influx reached its peak. Nearly two million pills were discovered in a single haul.

Towfique Uddin Ahmed, a director at the narcotics control department, said authorities estimate US$600 million (RM2.3 billion) worth of methamphetamine could be sold on Bangladesh’s streets this year.

One senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said “drastic action” like the violent crackdown on drug users and dealers in the Philippines could be needed to stamp out the drug.

“Some (traffickers) should be put in the crosshairs. We have come to that point,” he said.