It has been three months since the nationwide war on drugs began, but the godfathers or their patrons still remain untouched while the dealers are selling narcotics prudently – denotes government’s mocking with people. News media reported that the open sales of narcotics have largely stopped, sources in law enforcement agencies and even drug dealers say unless the big fishes netted, the containment will be temporary. Since the operations began by the members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police, around 42,000 people have been arrested while at least 213 got killed in shootouts.
Besides, around 28,000 cases were filed across the country and over 45 lakh yaba pills seized during the drives. But the godfathers and their patrons — including a ruling party lawmaker of Cox’s Bazar and his family members, a lawmaker of Khulna, some other political leaders and a few hundred rogue policemen — are yet to be brought to book though they have been named in intelligence reports.
The yaba and cannabis are still being sold through mobile phone service. The drives fail to seal the drug net but make it pricy as a small pack of cannabis is now Tk 50 instead of Tk 20 while the price of yaba pill rose to Tk 300. Drug dealers proving to be flexible and innovative are adjusting with the current situation and intensifying retail deal-making on social media. Facebook is being used for placing orders and mobile banking services for payments.
Deterring deep-rooted social crimes is not so easy. The demand for narcotics has not yet addressed. Keeping kingpins in safe harbour, killing or arresting petty dealers would not bring any fruitful result except administering extra-judicial murder.
