Directionless drive to root out drugs

As many as 586 suspected drug traders have been killed in the anti-narcotics drive in two years.

But concerned government agencies are unable to give a clear idea whether the drive is still on, what was the purpose of the drive and what are its results.

A special drive began on 4 Mary 2018 with a slogan ‘let us go to war against drug’.

It is a matter of great concern that the law enforcers assigned to control drugs lack dedication and honesty.
M Emdadul Haque, North South University teacher and researcher on narcotics

Under the supervision of the security services division of the home ministry, different drug controlling agencies and forces started the drive after the prime minister had declared zero tolerance against drugs. In a press conference at the media centre of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in Kawran Bazar, the then RAB director general Benazir Ahmed on 14 May 2018 said, “Those who take drugs will not no longer do so. Those who trade drugs will stop this trade. Those who are in possession of drugs will leave them near the RAB camps.”

One day after the declaration, two drug traders died in extrajudicial killing. Some 132 people were killed in the operation of law enforcing agencies in the next 15 days. Some 15 people were killed across the country in one day.

Security services secretary Md Shahiduzzan was not available over phone to make comments on the matter and did not respond to text messages.

However, speaking to Prothom Alo, joint secretary of the division Hamidur Rahman Khan said he joined the post two months ago. He has no idea that a special drive is going on. The regular drive that was launched earlier is going on.

Gunfight

Director general of the Department of Narcotics Control Jamaluddin said the drive slowed down from the beginning of this year.

Director Masum Rabbani said the Department of Narcotics Control launched special drives from 10 August. Cases have been filed against 500 people in seven days.

Asked whether this drive is a part of a special drive of 2018, he said that the Department of Narcotics Control started this drive. No declaration has been made about the suspension of that special drive, he added.

RAB law and media wing director lieutenant colonel Ashik Billah said they amid the special drive and it will continue until the country is free from drugs, he added.

According to human rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra, some 286 people were killed in police firing, 156 in RAB firing, 63 in DB firing and 78 in BGB firing till July of this year.

Drugs are still available

The Department of Narcotics Control, police and RAB have claimed success in controlling drugs through the special drives.

Asked why drugs are still available, the agencies said as there is demand, there is supply. Talking to this correspondent in an informal discussion, the officials said there is a lack of political will in rooting out drugs. Adequate preparations were not taken. The law enforcing agencies have resorted to ‘crossfire’ and ‘gunfight’ as a solution to show quick success. And so the consequences were inevitable.

Preferring not to be named,a high official of the law enforcing agencies told Prothom Alo there is no coordination among different forces, but there is an unhealthy competition. The drive was not conducted bringing all forces under one umbrella, the official added.

It is officially said about seven million people in Bangladesh are drug-addicts. But there is no explanation of the basis of this information.

Gunfights the only means

Under the leadership of the home ministry’s security services division, the drive was planned in 2018. At that time a decision was taken that tough action would be taken against those whose names are in three lists among five lists prepared by the Department of Narcotics Control, police, RAB, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and National Security Intelligence (NSI).

A question to the credibility of the drive was raised due to the government’s inaction against former member of parliament Abdur Rahman Badi. Although his name was on three lists, he and 30 members of his family were able to avoid arrests. Six months into the the decision was changed. The politicians involved in yaba trade were given an opportunity to surrender, and an order was given from the higher authorities to be tough against the rest.


Then 12 days into the drive, Teknaf municipal councilor Ekramul Haque was killed in a firing by RAB on 27 May 2018. A question was raised about the drive targeting the carriers of drugs instead of bringing the godfathers to book.

Ain o Salish Kendra gathered information of some incidents.

RAB shot dead Habibur Rahman, a resident of Lovelane in Chattogram on 17 May 2018, alleged his wife Marzina. A day before the incident, he was freed on bail. His wife claimed that her husband had to go to jail due to dispute over land with an influential man in the locality.

On the day of the incident, RAB picked up Habibur Rahman when he came out with his elder son after offering Zohr prayers at Baitul Falah Mosque.

He could not be traced at the Department of Narcotics Control, Detective Branch of police and Kotwali police station. Later at around 12am, news came that her husband was murdered at Barishal para. RAB took footage of CCTV cameras in the area, and assured of investigation of the killing. There are five cases related to drugs against Habib, Ain o Salish Kendra representative quoted the then officer-in-charge of Sadarghat police station Nezamuddin saying.

Drive yields no results

Special drives did not yield any good results as there is a lack of political will to root out drugs and adopting the strategy of crossfire instead of sustainable system in controlling drugs, according to officials involved in drug controlling.

Supply of drugs decreased temporarily in some places. The drug recovery scenario proves the drug trade continues on and traders are active too, the official said.

According to border security force BGB, 130,000 tablets were seized at Noapara adjacent to Naf River on 28 July and 140,000 from Leda on 5 August.

Law enforcing agencies sources said this means orders for yaba are being sent to Myanmar from Bangladesh. It cannot be claimed that the number of yaba traders has decreased.

There are names of 37 top yaba traders on the list of the Department of Narcotics Control. On the list, Nadim alias Pachis and Noju Sardar were killed in reported gunfights. There is no information about the remaining 35 traders including Ishtiaq alias Kamrul Hasan who was in number one in the list. They are in hiding. Six months into the drive, the Department of Narcotics Control made a new list. The names of 175 people from Dhaka are on the list.

Officials said the followers have taken the charge of drug trade as the godfathers are in hiding.

At least four police officials mentioned the dishonesty of the law enforcing agencies. Speaking to Prothom Alo, they said the situation will come under control if honest officials are appointed to 70 police stations of border areas. But officers-in-charge of police stations are not transferred for long by the police headquarters. Interested people contact the range deputy inspector general if any post of OC at police stations of border areas falls vacant. The interested person then pursues the MP. Huge amounts of money change hands this sort of transfer. After joining, OC concentrates on making money.

About such allegations, assistant inspector general of Police Headquarters Sohel Rana declined to make any comment.

North South University teacher and reseracher on narcotics M Emdadul Haque said it is a matter of great concern that the enforcers assigned to control drugs lack dedication and honesty.


*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.