Launch of a vigorous social movement against drug abuse and trafficking has been a need of the hour to check moral degradation and save the young generation from ruins. To this end programmes including colourful rallies, discussions, anti-drug essay and drawing competitions for students projecting harmful impacts of drug abuse on juveniles and youths, film shows, rendering of folksongs, imparting religious education and awards for 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 and make efforts to save the future generation from the curse of drug abuse. Countrywide such responsible citizens should come forward and highlight the importance of combating drug trafficking, drug abuse, in addiction to save the young generations and youths from the curse 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 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 youths and guardians is launched right from now in the country. United efforts of all concerned in preventing the formidable threat is urgent to ensure normal growth and flourishment of talent of the young generations. The various organisations that are working against drug abuse and 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 in 2015, giving suppliers in Myanmar a 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, 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 were recovered in 2015 only. But the rise in the number of India's yaba factories has got Bangladeshi law enforcers fighting a two-front battle against drug smuggling - on the western frontier in addition to the existing operations along the south-eastern coast.
The 4,096-kilometre border shared by Bangladesh and India 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 drug manufacturers. Under increased watch Indian smugglers are now finding it easier to send yaba tablets to Bangladesh. Even legally produced phensedyl was smuggled into Bangladesh for use as a narcotic. Despite regular seizure of yaba pills by the law enforcers, the drug lords have always managed to stay 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. The list of those in the trade includes law enforcers, local policemen, government officials, lawyers and even journalists.
According to police sources, in addition to meeting the local demand, yaba pills smuggled into the country are often meant for onward transport to Middle Eastern countries using courier services. But specific information on the movement of Indian yaba smugglers would not be available, unless surveillance along the border is increased. Some drug dealers do not need to bring yaba pills from Dhaka or Cox's Bazar. It is now available in the Indian border areas. Smugglers bring in yaba tablets alongside phensedyl from India. 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 in the cargo village of an airport. Officials recovered 1,000 yaba pills. 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 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. Based on 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. The country does not have high quality narcotics detection machines making it difficult for law enforcers to tackle smuggling.
However, the Home Minister said on June 27 last the government planned to constitute fast track courts to drug-related cases in view of the backlog of cases involving narcotics. He told a press conference, "Nearly 50,000 drug-related cases are now pending with (ordinary) courts for disposal". He said a process was also underway to enact a stricter punitive law 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 for major cities including Dhaka.
It is urgent that the country's young generation be saved from the drug menace through creation of awareness and launch of a social movement in addition to the government efforts to this end. It is necessary to underscore the need for building a drug-free society through creation of mass awareness. It is also imperative to combat drug trafficking through the borders and stop its trading and abuse to protect the young generation from getting derailed.
The writer is a retired Professor of Economics, BCS General Education Cadre. Email: [email protected]
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