Drug is a curse for our nation

The humongous proliferation of illicit drugs among the young generation deteriorates the future of Bangladesh. The drugs are attenuating the recreational instincts of the youth. The unplanned and semi-developed character of urbanisation and industrialisation is maximising the crisis. The nation is losing the future leaders of the country since "today's child is the father of the nation". They are being involved into deadly crimes - murder, kidnapping, abduction, rape, robbery and hijacking. Unethical and unsocial activities committed by the youngsters are rampant in the society.  
According to the report of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates - amongst 700 billion people of the world, 230 million of the people (5 per cent) are addicted to illicit drugs. The demographic report enunciates that the number will increase up to 295 million within 2050 if the condition continues. Each year, 2 million people die of drug abuse.
A report enunciates - Bangladesh Department of Narcotics Control along with other law-enforcement agencies have seized 144,102 Yaba (a mixture of Methamphetamine and Caffeine) tablets in 2010, 11,502,000 in 2011, 10,088,000 in 2012 and almost 30,000,000 tablets in 2013. Another report confirms that there are almost 10 million drug-addicted people in the country's urban areas, who are above 15 years old.
Recently, young women are being used in drug-trafficking activities. According to the National Mental Health Institute, 17 per cent of the women who abuse drugs are between 16 and 22 years old. According to an NGO report, there are approximately 9 million drug-abusers in the entire country. However the government argues it to be 3 million. Among them, 70 per cent is addicted to Heroine and the demand is increasing gradually. The demand for Yaba tablets per day in Dhaka is about 1,400,000 pieces. In Chittagong, it stands to 1 million tablets and 500,000 tablets in Cox's Bazar. The government has confirmed that there are about 5 million drug-abusers in the country, out of which 90 per cent are youngsters. Besides, more than 150,000 women in Bangladesh are addicted to illicit drugs. According to Dainik Inqilab, 5 thousand female students, enrolled at Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, Jagannath University, Eden Women's College, Dhaka City College, Badrunnisa College and North South University, regularly take drugs. Even, the schoolchildren are not spared by the evil grasp of drugs.
Anxiously, the Bangladeshi middle-class is plunged into the clutch of drugs. Those who were supposed to lead the country are presently suffering from addiction. Instead of becoming assets, they have become bundles for the country. They suffer badly from physical, psychological and economic complications.
Interestingly, the drug-abusers belong to a diverse stratum of people - from the impoverished street-vendors to the millionaire businesspeople. Even, distinguished professors and lecturers of well-known universities take drugs secretly. Drugs have become a 'matter of prestige' in some wealthy or aristocratic families! The young generation along with the different segments of society have started to lose their sense of morality and ethics. To accumulate the drug-money, they are involving themselves into heinous crimes. For example, Oishi Rahman stabbed her parents when they refused to give her the money for buying Yaba tablets. Thus, the future of the nation is jumping into a bottomless sea of vicious drugs.
 Myanmar is the biggest producer of drugs in South Asia. There are approximately 37 factories that manufacture Yaba tablets along its border with Bangladesh. Two of the factories are situated in the border town of Maungdaw. Faulty de-centralisation and armed insurgency by ethno-nationalist movements have contributed to the illegal production of Yaba tablets in Mayanmar. The members of the United Wa State Army (UWSA) are one of the main players behind the proliferation of deadly drugs such as Yaba, Heroine, Methamphetamine and Opium. They have accumulated huge amount of cash to fund their nationalist movement. Presently, the government of Myanmar has allied itself with the group and indirectly granted some of its officials the opportunity to become involved with the illegal drug business. Significantly, Bangladesh is situated between the two 'traditional heartlands' of illicit drug production - The Golden Triangle (of which Myanmar is a part) and the Golden Crescent. Numerous miscreants import massive number of Yaba tablets from Myanmar to Bangladesh.  
All of us should try to save the young generation from the shackle of drugs. The moral education and appropriate socialisation can contribute rightfully in this regard. Since most people of Bangladesh are pious, the pragmatic instructions, ideals and values of all religions can discourage drug habits. The civil society, various government institutions and the NGOs should come forward to save the Bangladeshi youth. Students, teachers, educationalists, politicians, social workers, religious leaders should work together against illicit drugs. The social movement should be raised rigorously against drug traffickers. Media outlets can also play an important role. If we fail to use the young generation in the right way, we would repent in the future. The dream of building the 'Shonar Bangla' would vanish.

The writer is an Assistant Manager at Palli Karma - Sahayak Foundation
Email: dumarashid@gmail.com