Shah Alam Nur :
The Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) has no picture about the narcotics in the country.
The DNC also did not have any specific data about the number of drug addicts or users in the country.
However, the Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition (JHPN) study showed there are nearly six million drug users in Bangladesh and they spend about Tk 800m everyday on illegal narcotics.
“It is not possible to find out the exact number of drug users in the country. But on the basis of different data and statistics, we estimate that the number of addicts in Bangladesh is more than six million,” Director General of DNC Khandakar Rakibur Rahman told The New Nation on Thursday.
According to a World Health Organisation (WHO) survey, most of the addicts are young, between 18 and 30 years.
The survey also showed in the capital, 79.4 per cent of the users are male and 20.6 per cent are female.
In recent time, JHPN study found that 64.8 per cent of the drug users in the country are unmarried, while 56.1 per cent are either students or unemployed. 95.4 per cent users are smokers; 85.7 per cent got into drugs under the influence of friends and 65.8 per cent are addicted to various codeine-containing cough syrups.
More than 100,000 people were directly involved with illegal drug trade and supplying the drugs.
Women and children are used in carrying and selling
drugs because it is easier for them to evade law enforcers. Children are particularly preferred because the laws of the country are lenient for them and they can be engaged for small payments.
Non-government organization, Family Hall International, had conducted a survey a few years ago in which it was said that the number of drug users in the country was more than 4.6m.
According to DNC intelligence sources, heroin is the deadliest of drugs in Bangladesh. In recent times, Yaba has gained popularity and has become a “fashionable” drug. Cough syrup Phensidyl has remained the most popular among the masses because of its low price and easy availability.
The DNC on Thursday seized around one lakh pieces of Yaba tablets worth over Tk two crore and arrested a “wholesaler” in Gazipur.
Sanjay, an alleged drug peddler, was picked up from Dhaka’s Motijheel area around 6:00am, Khorshed Alam, Assistant Director of DNC of Dhaka region told The New Nation.
Based on information from Sanjay, he said the DNC officials raided a house in Gazipur’s Mouchak and seized around one lakh pieces of Yaba tablets worth Tk 2.5 crore at 8:00am.
Sanjay brings large consignments of contraband Yaba tablets from Teknaf of Cox’s Bazar and distributes them in Dhaka and adjoining areas, he said.
The Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) has no picture about the narcotics in the country.
The DNC also did not have any specific data about the number of drug addicts or users in the country.
However, the Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition (JHPN) study showed there are nearly six million drug users in Bangladesh and they spend about Tk 800m everyday on illegal narcotics.
“It is not possible to find out the exact number of drug users in the country. But on the basis of different data and statistics, we estimate that the number of addicts in Bangladesh is more than six million,” Director General of DNC Khandakar Rakibur Rahman told The New Nation on Thursday.
According to a World Health Organisation (WHO) survey, most of the addicts are young, between 18 and 30 years.
The survey also showed in the capital, 79.4 per cent of the users are male and 20.6 per cent are female.
In recent time, JHPN study found that 64.8 per cent of the drug users in the country are unmarried, while 56.1 per cent are either students or unemployed. 95.4 per cent users are smokers; 85.7 per cent got into drugs under the influence of friends and 65.8 per cent are addicted to various codeine-containing cough syrups.
More than 100,000 people were directly involved with illegal drug trade and supplying the drugs.
Women and children are used in carrying and selling
drugs because it is easier for them to evade law enforcers. Children are particularly preferred because the laws of the country are lenient for them and they can be engaged for small payments.
Non-government organization, Family Hall International, had conducted a survey a few years ago in which it was said that the number of drug users in the country was more than 4.6m.
According to DNC intelligence sources, heroin is the deadliest of drugs in Bangladesh. In recent times, Yaba has gained popularity and has become a “fashionable” drug. Cough syrup Phensidyl has remained the most popular among the masses because of its low price and easy availability.
The DNC on Thursday seized around one lakh pieces of Yaba tablets worth over Tk two crore and arrested a “wholesaler” in Gazipur.
Sanjay, an alleged drug peddler, was picked up from Dhaka’s Motijheel area around 6:00am, Khorshed Alam, Assistant Director of DNC of Dhaka region told The New Nation.
Based on information from Sanjay, he said the DNC officials raided a house in Gazipur’s Mouchak and seized around one lakh pieces of Yaba tablets worth Tk 2.5 crore at 8:00am.
Sanjay brings large consignments of contraband Yaba tablets from Teknaf of Cox’s Bazar and distributes them in Dhaka and adjoining areas, he said.
