Secure borders against drugs
Drug addiction has become more than a critical problem for Bangladesh, but the government’s efforts to bring this under control are far from satisfactory. It hardly seems credible that the unlawful drug trade and addiction can continue unabated if the government is actually sincere in its efforts.
The law enforcement agencies have been carrying out countrywide drives against drug traders and addicts. Around 300 ‘identified’ drug addictions have been killed in ‘gunfights’. Death sentence has even been imposed for drug-related crimes. Yet despite all this, it has not been possible to pull the reins on the illegal narcotic business and the use of drugs.
On Saturday while over a hundred yaba dealers were surrendering in Cox’s Bazar, consignments of the pill were continuously being smuggled over the border. On that very day, 560,000 yaba pills were recovered from three different spots.
The problem with the anti-drug drive of the law enforcement agencies is that it is partial and incomplete. Focus is only on the drug trade and use within the country. Even this is riddled with problems. The person known to be involved in drug trafficking has been given charge of bringing the narcotics trade. Members of the law enforcement involved in illegal drug dealing are not punished. Responsibility and accountability of the department of narcotics control is not ensured. Certain powerful political persons shelter the drug dealers. All this contributes to the growth of a strong drug empire in the country. Questions prevail in the public mind as to how sincere and committed the government actually is about smashing this criminal empire.
A report in Prothom Alo on Saturday highlighted the attitude of the local people in Cox’s Bazar concerning the surrender of drug dealers there. They do not believe there will be any pause on the drug trade even if a few of the drug dealers are put behind bars. After all, it is not enough just for the drug dealers in Teknaf to surrender. The drug dealers in Cox’s Bazar sadar, Ukhia, Maheshkhali and Ramu will simply continue with their drug trade.
The question is, how are the drug dealers continuing to operate in face of so many measures being taken. Yaba and most of the other drugs are not manufactured in Bangladesh. They are smuggled in from neighbouring countries. Yaba is coming in from Myanmar by land and sea. But how does it come? This question must be posed to the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) and the Coast Guard. They are responsible for securing the borders so that no drugs, people or any goods can enter or leave illegally.
Once the drugs cross the border into Bangladesh, these are distributed countrywide. The drug dealers buy and sell the substances, the addicts consume them and it is all downhill from there. So it is clear that the drugs must be halted at the border. The land and sea border must be tightly secured. The border security forces must ensure this. If not, the anti-drug drive will amount to zero.