Although we do not know about their exact number, drug addicts' presence has become more conspicuous these days than before in Dhaka city. The drug addicts, most of whom are mainly floating people, can easily be spotted on the footpaths of the capital city inhaling glue-filled plastic bags. Children of poor parents, mostly living in city slums are also taking this as an addiction without knowing its adverse effects on their health.
Glue-sniffing is popularly known as Dandy. It reportedly causes hallucinations and dampens hunger. The floating people are taking this drug publicly, even in front of the members of law enforcement agencies. But nobody is coming forward to save them from this addiction. Besides Dandy, many of these people are addicted to cannabis, cigarettes and yaba. They also work as couriers of drugs between dealers and buyers.
These people can come out of this addiction if they are rehabilitated with psychological counselling by professionals. The authorities concerned should take proper initiatives to introduce a large-scale rehabilitation programme for these people so that they can become useful manpower for the country in the future.
Sarfuddin Ahmed
Khilgaon, Dhaka
sarfuddin2003@gmail.com