The smuggling of drugs into the country isn’t stopped despite the zero tolerance policy of the government along with its strict directives. The authorities concerned haven’t been able to stop even 5% of the incoming drugs through the borders. Using roads, railways, waterways and air transport systems, the drug smugglers are spreading their ‘products’ in the whole country.
At present, drug trade is accumulating in the country even by targeting online platforms. Several officials of the Narcotics Control Department said that only 20 percent of the drugs recovered internationally are smuggled. However, the drug recovery rate in this country is not more than 5 percent. The number of drug addicts is increasing from everywhere.
Rahul Sen, Assistant Director of Dhaka Metro North of Narcotics Control Department, said that a person named Hasan (60) was arrested from Shoukhin Special Paribahan in front of Bangladesh Multicare Hospital in West Rampura area of Dhaka at 11 pm on June 16. That bus was going from Chittagong to Taraganj in Rangpur. Later, 1,200 pieces of Yaba tablets were seized from Hasan. A total of 7,250 pieces of Yaba tablets were seized in four plastic boxes during a raid in the packet room at the head office of SA Paribahan in Kakrail of the capital.”
According to a report of the Narcotics Control Department, last year, most of the drugs are coming from 95 points in 19 districts of border area of the country. 15 routes of yaba smuggling from Myanmar through Cox's Bazar and Bandarban have been identified. Phencidil is coming through seven new routes bordering with Naogaon in the western region. Phencidil and Yaba are coming through seven points of Satkhira. Along with Phencidil, heroin is coming with 24 points in Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Jaipurhat and Dinajpur. Apart from this, Phencidil is entering the country through 13 points in Jessore, Chuadanga and Meherpur. Nine points in eastern Comilla and six in Brahmanbaria have been identified as the incoming route of marijuana (locally knpown as Ganja).
Director of Narcotics Control Department (ongoing duty) Mojibur Rahman Patwari said, "Due to the high internal demand, the flow of drugs cannot be stopped. But we are arresting the drug dealers to reduce the inflow of drugs. We’re informing the general public about the evils of drugs. Drug addicts are being treated and rehabilitated. To prevent the spread of drugs, people from all walks of life should be aware and alert.”
According to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), last year, in their anti-drug campaign, 1,47, 34, 774 pieces of Yaba tablets, about 143 kg of crystal meth (localy known as ice), 1, 85, 833 bottles of phensidyls, 3,40,749 bottles of foreign liquor, 9, 263 liters of Bengal liquor, 57, 899 cans of beer, 22, 229 kg of marijuana, about 331 kg of heroin, about 13 kg of cocaine, 5, 98, 589 intoxicating and stimulating injections , 1, 53, 210 Anegra or Senegra tablets, 65, 664 Escaf syrup and various drugs have been seized.
(The report was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on June 24 and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque Khan)
