Joynal Abedin Khan :The deadly drug addiction has become one of the burning issues in the country as it has spread alarmingly in every nook and corner for the last several years. The trend of drug consumption is higher among the youth and teenagers (age spanning between 13 and 30 years) who come from all strata of the society. Students are mostly falling victims to drug abuse, which eventually lowers their standards of education and attendance at educational institutes as well as loss of their normal lives.”Though it is not possible to find out the exact number of the drug users in the country, on the basis of different data and statistics it is estimated that the number of addicts is more than 60 lakh who spend about Tk 3,000 crore per year on illegal narcotics,” Intelligence sources said.”More than one lakh people are directly involved in illegal drug trade and supply. The study reveals that peddlers prefer women and children for carrying and selling drugs because it is easier for them to evade law enforcers,” they said. The Intelligence sources of the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) said, “Heroin is the deadliest of drugs in Bangladesh. In recent times, Yaba has gained popularity and has become a “fashionable” drug. Cough syrup Phensidyl remains the most popular among the masses because of its low price and easy availability.”They claimed that around 10,000 cases are filed and 9,000 people arrested every year in connection with drug-related crimes.A separate study conducted by the Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition (JHPN) of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) shows that in the capital, 79.4 percent of the users are male and 20.6 percent are female.The JHPN study finds that 64.8 percent of the drug users in the country are unmarried, 56.1 percent are either students or unemployed, and 95.4 percent are smokers. About 85.7 percent get into consuming drugs under the influence of friends.At least 42,501 cases were filed in different police stations in connection with drug in 2014, Police Headquarter sources said. Physicians say weaning someone off drug addiction is difficult, but not impossible. Support from family and friends, professional help from doctors, and will power of the patient during inpatient or outpatient drug addiction treatment may help to end dependence on drugs.They celebrate 31st night at the DJ party (internet slang disc jockey) where the alcohol is mandatory. Most of the young people of Dhaka city go to these parties and get cheers with the alcohol.Many experts believe that Bangladesh is often used as a transit point for international drug trafficking, making the country vulnerable to drug abuse. Traffickers are making their shipments through Dhaka, Chittagong, Comilla, Khulna, and other routes in Bangladesh. So, in near future, Bangladesh will face a catastrophe if the alarming drug abuse is not effectively checked through extensive motivation and prevention. Dhaka University Criminology Department’s Chairman Dr. Md. Ziaur Rahman told The New Nation on Friday that, “Peer pressure is one of the leading causes of teenagers’ drug addictions. Reasons determined through research include curiosity and excitement through its use, despair and frustration for continuous failure in works or economic insolvency.” “Some get addicted because they try to follow the Western culture of drug abuse and enjoyment of life. A number of other reasons include poverty, easy access to drugs, dejection in love, and mental stress due to family problems,” he said.Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said, “The government is planning to supply arms to the field level officials of the Department of Narcotics Control to ensure their security.”The Minister made the disclosure while addressing a conference of DNC officials at its headquarters in city on Thursday.He also said the arms will be supplied after formulating a ‘rules of procedure’ in this regard.Kamal further said the arms will be provided considering the fact that the field level officials are taking risks to keep society free from narcotics.”Roles of the Department of Narcotics Control, police, RAB and BGB are not up to the satisfactory level. So, what is needed at the moment is marshalling of all efforts at both government and non-government levels to stem the root,” the Minister said.
