THE High Court on Sunday pulled the government up for not creating tribunals under Section 44 of the Narcotics Control Act 2018 to try the accused in narcotics cases. Until June 30, the trial of at least 1,70,242 narcotic cases had been stalled in district or metropolitan courts. The High Court bench set a fresh deadline of October 13 for the government to comply with the directives — for creating drug offences courts and empowering additional district or metropolitan sessions judges to try such cases. The government passed the Narcotics Control Act 2018 keeping death penalty as the maximum punishment to curb drug abuse and smuggling. The law provisions for separate courts or tribunals for trying drug-related crimes. The bench rebuked the home affairs and law secretaries for their repeated failure to comply with several directives issued in this regard since July 8.

Based on intelligence reports and studies by national and international health-related organisations, more than 100,000 people are estimated to be directly involved in illegal trade and supply of drugs. About 10 per cent of the outpatients at the healthcare facilities have been reported to suffer from addiction-related complications. An easy access to drugs significantly contributes to an increased addiction. It can be contained by pursuing strict legal measures against drug trade. Leaders of this trade are alleged to be enjoying political clout. This is, perhaps, the reason the incumbents have not yet shown any interest in creating narcotics tribunals and, consequently, trial of so many narcotics cases has remain stalled. One can also refer to the lack of any government initiative to ensure coordination between public agencies such as law enforcement units and the narcotics control department which is crucial for the success in the fight against drug abuse. There are Yaba trade gangs and they are busy expanding the business with the help of Bangladesh and Myanmar drug smuggling syndicates. There are reports of drug pedlars being nabbed here and there by the law enforcers. But we seldom hear of powerful people in the trade being arrested by the law enforcement agencies.

Apart from contributing to slide in law and order by giving rise to various crimes, drug addiction is enough to destroy the youth force. To save the youth force, the government must, therefore, wake up and comply with the court directives to set up drug offences courts and bring the criminals to justice.