The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has started investigation to find out the illegal assets of the alleged patrons of narcotics and drug dealers and peddlers.
The commission is now working on a list of around 350 so-called 'god fathers' of drugs and narcotics.
These 'god fathers' are known as main sponsors and beneficiaries of the illegal drug dealings across the country. Several government agencies supplied the names of the god fathers, according to a local media report.
ACC has generally no legal authority to move against the drug dealers and peddlers. It is, however, legally authorised to investigate asset status of any citizen. Using the legal provision, the anti-graft body initiated the probe against the 'god fathers' of illegal drug business.
The ongoing crackdown on illicit drug trading has recently started in the wake of rising influx of the yaba from abroad.
The rising use of the amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) has created an adverse impact on society, especially the teens and young generation.
According to the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC), law enforcement agencies seized 0.8 million Yaba tablets altogether in 2010.
But the number gradually increased to 1.3 million in 2011, 1.9 million in 2012, 2.8 million in 2013, 6.7 million in 2014, 20 million in 2015 and 29.5 million in 2016.
Last year, the volume rose to over 40 million.
The seizure indicates that consumption of Yaba and the trade associated with it has marked a phenomenal rise over the years to the grave concern of the guardians and law enforcers.
There are no specific statistics about the market size of this particular drug. None has ever conducted a nationwide survey to know the extent of financial involvement and impact of the drug use in the society.
The volume of Yaba the law enforcement agencies seize every year is just a small portion of the overall consignments of the stimulating tablet that enters the country, said law enforcement agencies.
"We could seize only a little portion of the total consignment, thought to be 10 times more than the quantity we seized," a senior DNC official said.
The department does not have any specific data about the number of drug addicts as well as the quantity of Yaba smuggled into Bangladesh annually, he said.
He disclosed that the drug addicts on an average have to spend at least Tk150 for each tablet.
Based on the estimates done by the DNC, the law enforcement agencies like police, Border Guard of Bangladesh (BGB) and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) seized Yaba pills worth Tk 6 billion in 2017.
Seeking anonymity, another senior DNC official said the annual amount could be as much as Tk 60 billion if the value was calculated 10 times higher.
Agencies add: Eight suspected drug peddlers were killed in reported gunfights with police in Feni, Brahmanbaria, Cumilla, Narayanganj and Magura districts early Thursday in the latest anti-narcotics drive undertaken by the law enforcers.
According to reports, a total of 57 people were killed in 'gunfights' across the country since May 12.
In Feni, Samiran Shamim, son of Mohammad Mostafa of Maij village, and Majnu Mia alias Manir, son of Fatik Mia of Mantala villages in Phulgazi upazila, were killed in a reported gunfight.
In Brahmanbaria, Amir Kha, an alleged drug peddler, accused in a murder case, was killed in a reported gunfight with police at Bangaj Steel Bridge in Akhaura early in the morning.
Amir Kha, son of late Suruj Kha of Chandpur village in Akhaura upazila, was wanted in 12 cases, said Mosharraf Hossain Tarafdar, officer-in-charge of Akhaura Police Station.
In Cumilla, two suspected drug peddlers were killed in separate incidents of reported gunfights between their cohorts and police in Chouddagram and Sadar Dakkhin upazilas early Thursday. They are Babul alias Lamba Babul and Rajib.
In Narayanganj, Selim alias Fenci Selim, 40, son of Abul Kashem of the Sanarpar area, was killed in a reported gunfight with police at Nimai Kashani in Siddhirganj early in the morning.
In Magura, Additional Superintendent of Magura Police Tariqul Islam said acting on information that two drug-peddling gangs were exchanging gunfights between them over establishing supremacy, a team of police went to Parnanduali Housing Project in the district town around 1:30 am and recovered bullet-hit bodies of two alleged drug peddlers.
The deceased were identified as Mizanur Rahman Kalu, 42, of Bhayana village, and Ayub Ali, 55, of Niznanduali village in Sadar upazila.
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
