Majhar Mannan :

Terrible drugs have engulfed the youth and now another monster drug called crystal methamphetamine (Ice) is starting anew. The horrific drug shipment from Myanmar is entering the country and spreading across the country and Bangladesh police have already arrested some members of these gangs. Ice is a methamphetamine and very addictive and is linked to chronic physical disorder. This ice or crystal meth is many times more frightening than yaba and in a very short time it destroys various organs of the human body. Many young people in Bangladesh have been endangered by the addiction to yaba and many lives have been ruined. Just at that time, another catastrophe has started anew. This horrible drug ice is spreading very fast from the neighbouring country Myanmar and some young people in our country are taking this drug and drug traffickers are making huge illegal money. Recently, 11 consignments of ice drugs have been seized in Bangladesh and about 10 people have been arrested. This horrible drug is taken directly or can be taken with yaba or other drugs. Yaba contains 5% ice so it can be taken with yaba and if anyone takes this ice directly, 20 times more horrible reactions than yaba will occur in his body. This illegal ice drug is entering Chittagong and the capital through the hands of the Cox’s Bazar-based drug syndicate. As the price of this drug is high, many young of affluent families are getting involved in this drug trade. The Department of Narcotics Control said that an ice-taking class is being formed in Chittagong and Dhaka city which is very frightening. A total of 14 consignments of ice have been seized from January to August this year.

Terrible drugs have become a major threat to our country’s youth and have led many young people astray, and statistics show that most young people are between the ages of 12 and 25. It is easy to imagine how terrible the future of the country will be if the teenagers who will one day take the helm of the country are addicted to drugs. The drug has now become a horrible social cancer and Phensidyl, Yaba, Viagra, Heroine, and other drugs are crippling the youth morally and physically. Drug godfathers and smugglers are spreading drugs in the country and crippling the youth. Today, the youth of the country are suffering from depression. These drug addicts are involved in various crimes like juvenile delinquencies and juvenile gangs are being formed. Due to the use of these drugs, juvenile gangs are now a terrible terror in big cities including Dhaka and Chittagong. These drug addicts continue to commit various crimes such as murder, rape, abduction, kidnapping, looting, robbery, eve-teasing, and many other social crimes.

The government has taken various initiatives at different times to stop drug shipments in the country and to prevent drug addicts from taking drugs. The Department of Narcotics Control was established in 1990 and was later re-enacted by amending the Narcotics Control Act in 2018 and many drug traffickers were punished under this Act. Bangladesh Police have raided and confiscated drug consignments at different times and arrested and punished drug traffickers. Despite all this, drug shipments have not stopped yet but are increasing. It is very tough for law enforcement alone to control such drug shipments and drug use, so family awareness and a sense of parental responsibility are essential.

The government has set up drug treatment centres in different parts of the country for the treatment of drug addicts and has set up rehab centres for drug addicts in different districts where they are intensively cared for. Like other countries, Bangladesh also celebrates Anti-Drug Trafficking and Abuse Day on June 26. Although there are no accurate statistics on drug addicts at present, a private survey has revealed that there are more than 7.5 million drug addicts in the country. 80% of these drug addicts are young and 40% of them are unemployed and the most frightening information is that many women are now addicted to this drug. According to another survey, 50% of these drug addicts are involved in various crimes and these drug addicts use drugs worth at least TK. 20 crore every day, which is around TK. 600 crore a year. Around three million drug traffickers across the country trade in drugs worth at least Tk 200 crore every day.

According to another survey, 85% of yaba in the country is adulterated and many young people are becoming physically crippled by consuming this adulterated yaba.  Easy availability of drugs has swallowed up the young society and a terrible situation is waiting for the whole nation. Heroin, opium, pathedine, phensidyl, cannabis and other dangerous drugs are being traded in different parts of the country every day. Many young people are taking these deadly drugs by injection and as a result, deadly diseases like AIDS are spreading and many young people are losing their lives. According to a statistic, the trend of drug use among the highly educated people of the country is also increasing and this number is 15 percent. More than 10,000 crore currency is being smuggled abroad every year for illegal drug smuggling.

A United Nations report on the drug situation in Bangladesh states that 84 per cent of the country’s drug addicts are men and 16 per cent are women and 3.5 million people across the country are involved in the drug trade. According to the statistics of the Department of Narcotics Control, a drug addict spends a maximum 500 minimum 50 taka per day for taking drugs and in order to collect this money they commit various crimes. Drug addicts are desperate to raise this money and they do not hesitate to commit any crime. According to the survey, 30 percent of drug addicts commit various crimes to raise money for drugs, including murder, rape, kidnapping and other forms of social injustice.

The prevalence of drug use among men as well as women is increasing day by day and 90 per cent of female addicts are between the ages of 15 and 35. More than 20,000 drug addicts are still receiving services in various drug rehabilitation centres across the country. The terrible grip of drugs not only destroys the drug addicts, it adversely affects the economy of the country and causes a great deal of concern among the parents of the country. However, it is never possible for any organization or law enforcement agency alone to eradicate this drug completely. Public awareness is needed to get rid of the scourge of drugs. A sense of responsibility of parents and especially the participation of all people is the only way to free the society from the scourge of drugs through a concerted effort.

There is no alternative to taking a tough stand against drug traffickers because if drug traffickers are not cracked down on, the youth will go astray. Drug traffickers need to be identified quickly, brought to justice and severely punished. Extreme precautions must be taken at the borders of Myanmar and India to deal with drug shipments, and drug lords, especially those who are very influential, must be identified and brought to justice. Spontaneous participation of youth is required to build a healthy society so if these youth can stay drug free then we will be able to build a truly golden Bengal.

The writer is an Assistant Professor, B A F Shaheen College, Kurmitola, Dhaka Cantonment