Dr. Syed Nesar Ahmad Rumy :
Addictions are a much discussed issue in Bangladesh. Every day we see drug related news in the newspapers & electronic media. As we know that Ganja was the prime source of addiction since pre-independence days. Up to the eighties of last century Ganja was officially cultivated in Bangladesh. The area of Ganja cultivation was located in the district of Naogaon. But in the end of the decade of eighties Ganja cultivation came to an end for the decision of the government following the directives of World Health Organization. Before that Ganja was a legal business with some legal restrictions.
A big society called Ganja society was formed at Naogaon since the inception of Ganza cultivation there. This society had many establishments such as buildings, land at Naogaon town. The Deputy Commissioner of Naogaon had general control over Ganja society & Ganja cultivation at Naogaon. During mid-eighties there were some land selected for Ganja cultivation at Sadar Upazila of Naogaon district. It was about not less than sixty bighas of land was fenced by CI sheet with a single gate for coming out and going into that area. Round the clock armed guards were deployed there for controlling the movements of people attached to the Ganja cultivation.
Ganja and Cannabis were much used as sources of addictions and these were used by the students and the people who do physical labour. Moreover, in different Mazars a huge number of addicted people would have been seen in annual Jalsa or Orosh. Ganja addiction is very simple to perform because one can easily do that. People who are addicted in Ganja they generally take out the tobacco spices from the cigarette sticks and then they put the Ganja spices to the tube of that stick. In this way they are used to prepare Ganja sticks. The old system was to put Ganja spices in the ‘Kolke’. It seems the particular person smokes cigarette but actually the person is smoking Ganja. This is one kind of practicing Ganja addiction. Beside this, some people are used to take Ganja in some particular places in the country.
Since eighties different types of cough syrup, tonic and some tranquilizer type tablets were used as the sources of addictions. Among those Phensidyle was very much popular among the youngsters and some students. Usually students call it ‘dayile’. In the eighties use of ‘Dayile’ was just like epidemic. Law enforcing agencies started many drives to recover Phensidyle in different places in Bangladesh in that time. The then time empty bottles of Phensidyle were seen at everywhere and especially in the side of dormitories, bazaars & everywhere.
Heroin, Lead is also the sources of addictions. But those are mainly customized in the comparatively in richer people. In the upper society, lead (sisa) is popular in Dhaka city. Often we see this sort of news in the national dailies. It seems that Gulshan & Banani are the hub of Sisa inhaling or smoking. There are some places of ‘Sisa’ inhaling at Gulshan & Banani area under cover of restaurants. A good number of youths & youngsters are used to go those places.
Drug addiction was one of the prime concerns of the government during eighties. Maybe, for that reason, the then government implemented their new policy of medicine & drug at that time. For that policy production of huge number of cough syrups & other alcoholic tonics were treated as banned items. The policy was widely welcomed by the people. Booming of pharmaceutical industries started after that. Some multi-national companies did not like that decision. Truly those syrups & tonics did not have treatment utility but those were widely marketed in the then time.
Now available in the market, a good number of chemicals are used for addictions by some people & street children. Especially the solution is used for the tying up the leather in shoe-making process. Sometimes the electronic & print media made report on this. At present the widely used item for addiction is Yaba. This is a tablet-like item. Mainly it comes from Myanmar & Thailand. In the recent past big consignment of Yaba were seized by the law-enforcing agencies. And it was reported in the newspapers in different time. But presently, all-over Bangladesh Yaba is spreading like an epidemic in the youngsters’ arena. Many times law enforcers seize the Yabas in many places in Bangladesh. Now Yaba addiction is in at such a stage that the parents & guardians of the youngsters have to keep themselves in serious concerns. Now the different types of drugs marketed legally or illegally are a great cause of social disorder. For these addictions many families have been ruined and more are in the process of ruination.
We know wine & alcohols are also the sources of addiction. In the high-profile areas, wine & alcohols are somewhat controlled. People who want to take these have legal permissions. But out of this legal coverage there must have a large number addicted person in our society. Sometimes we also get the news that many people die having methylated spirit. This happens generally during Mela or Fairs. These are all the general pictures addictions in Bangladesh.
In the late eighties specialized clinics & hospitals started functioning in the private sectors for drug addicted people in Dhaka & other cities. Treatment cost in those clinics & hospitals is so high that poor & middle/lower-middle class families cannot bear the treatment cost. Apart from this, patients who got treatment have chances to be addicted again for the lack of counseling after the treatment. This is also a matter of serious concerns of the affected families. Moreover, it seems there have lack of effective control over those hospitals/clinics from the governmental side.
So, in this situation more governmental initiatives and family values are necessary and at the same time high-ups of the society should raise their voice more effectively & profoundly to get rid of this situation.
(Dr. Rumy is former civil servant
and freelancer).
