Save future generation from drug

Save future generation from drug

Launching of a vigorous social movement against drug abuse and its illicit trafficking has become a burning need of the time to check social erosion for saving the young generations from ruins. To this end programmes including colourful rally, discussions, anti-drug essay and drawing competitions for students projecting harmful impacts of drug abuse on juveniles and youths, film shows, rendering folksongs, imparting religious education and prize giving ceremony for the anti-drug campaigners may be arranged. All concerned including officials, socio-cultural activists, teachers, students, religious leaders, academicians, professionals, anti-drug campaigners, civil society members and elite should come out to take part in efforts to save the future generation from the curse of drug abuse. Countrywide such responsible citizens should come forward to highlight the importance of combating the spread of illicit drug trafficking, drug abuse, in addiction to save the young generations and youths from the wraths of drugs. They need to express their concern over the increasing trend of drug addiction and call for awakening the young generations about suicidal impacts of drug abuse and its illegal trafficking for building a meritorious, happier and prosperous responsible nation. It is necessary to make the young generation aware about the adverse impacts of drug addiction that might take worse turns further unless vigorous social movement involving all people including the youth generations and guardians is launched right from now in the country. A united effort of all concerned in preventing the formidable threat of drugs and narcotics substances is urgent to ensure normal growth and flourish talent of the young generations. The various organisations that are working against drug abuse and its illicit trafficking should be encouraged and awarded for their laudable contributions to this end. The country's drug situation is horrifying. It is reported that Indian drug dealers started smuggling illegal yaba tablets into Bangladesh from 2015, giving suppliers in Myanmar to find out more better option to pump the pills into the country. Though regarded as lower grade than their Myanmar counterpart, the yaba pills are widely enjoyed by the youths of the country as a party drug, are now being made in India. India previously enjoyed the notoriety of being the main source of phensedyl, a codeine syrup banned in Bangladesh and a major contributor to Bangladesh's drug addiction problem. The rise in popularity and availability of yaba in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country is a matter of grave concern for the authorities as well as parents. According to the experts, yaba tablets made up some 33 per cent of the contraband items seized by law enforcers. According to police sources, over 23.2 million yaba pills, of all places of origin, were recovered in 2015 alone. But the rise in India's yaba factories has got Bangladeshi law enforcers fighting a two-front battle against drug smuggling, adding the western frontier to existing operations on the south-eastern coast along the Myanmar border. Bangladesh and India's 4,096-kilometre border is a virtual haven for smugglers. Some observers speculate that a recent ban in India on phensedyl may be behind the shift to yaba production by illicit drugs manufacturers. Under increased scrutiny when transporting phensydyl, Indian smugglers are now finding it easier to move yaba tablets to Bangladesh. Even legally produced phensedyl was smuggled into Bangladesh for use as a narcotic. Despite regular seizures of yaba by the law enforcers, the drug lords have always managed to keep one step ahead of the police. A ruling party lawmaker and his family are among those sheltering smugglers of the drug from Myanmar. The Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) published a report in 2014 containing the names of a staggering 1,200 people believed to be involved in the illegal trade, including Cox's Bazar Awami League lawmaker Abdur Rahman Bodi. The list of those complicit in the trade includes law enforcers, local policemen, government officials, lawyers and even journalists. Sources said that some smugglers are sending contraband pills originating in Myanmar to India to avoid raids in Bangladesh. Some of these pills later resurface on the border. Police sources said that in addition to supplying local demand, yaba smuggled into the country is often meant for onward transport to Middle Eastern countries using courier services. But the source said that specific information on the movement of Indian yaba smugglers would not be possible unless surveillance along the border is increased. Sources said some drug dealers do not need to bring yaba pills from Dhaka or Cox's Bazar. It is now available on the Indian border areas. Smugglers bring yaba tablets along with phensedyl from India, sources said, adding that yaba is safer and cheaper to move than phensedyl or other drugs. The pills coming from India, available only in pink, are cheap because of their low quality. It is sold for Tk. 160 to Tk. 180 per pill in the border areas. The other varieties - green and white - do not come from India. Based on a tip-off from an international intelligence agency, the DNC in January 2016 recovered a parcel from the courier section SIA International Airport's cargo village. Officials recovered 1,000 yaba pills packed among jeans and leather footwear. The parcel was sent to the UAE from Bangladesh, but returned because no one received it in Dubai. The Detective Branch (DB) of police recovered a shipment of yaba pills from inside a packet of herbal products from Uttara in November 2015. The DB sources said the package was brought from Myanmar but was on its way out of the country. Through confessions from a number of arrestees, law enforcers have pieced together that Bangladesh is fast becoming a major transit point for the smuggling of drugs, especially yaba, using courier services, according to the source. The country does not have high quality narcotics detection machines making it difficult for law enforcers to tackle smuggling operations. Meanwhile, the Home Minister said on June 27, 2016 the government has planned to constitute fast track courts to try drug related crimes in view of huge stockpile of cases involving narcotics. He told a press conference marking the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking "Nearly 50,000 drug related cases are now pending in (ordinary) courts for disposal". He said a process was also underway to enact stricter punitive laws for perpetrators of drug related crimes by amending the existing Narcotics Control Act 1990 alongside forming a strong anti-drug "striking force" to be led by the Department of Narcotics Control at major cities including Dhaka. The press conference was told that narcotics authorities conducted 14,937 mobile court drives and a total of 7,823 persons were arrested in 7,487 cases in 2015. It is urgent that the country's young generation be saved from drug aggression through creating awareness and launching social movement in addition to government efforts to ensure brighter future of the nation. It is necessary to underscore the need for building a drug free society through creating mass public awareness for a happy nation with healthy citizens and peace of the society. It is also imperative to combating illicit drug trafficking through the borders and stopping its trading and abusing to protect the young generation from their ruins in addition to launching social movement against drug abuse involving the people from all walks in the society, including the religious leaders, specially the young generation to save future generations from the dreadful wrath of drug aggression.