UNB, Dhaka :
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Sunday said the government would be very trough to put an end to smuggling through different bordering points of the country.
“Steps are being taken against those who are engaged in drug smuggling. Even law enforcers and public representatives will not be spared if they are found involved in such heinous act,” the Home Minister said while taking to reporters after attending a view-exchange meeting over border problems and solutions at BGB Headquarters at Pilkhana in the city.
Total 33 Members of Parliament of the bordering constituencies and top officials of different law enforcement agencies including Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), Bangladesh Coast Guard and police, took part in the meeting.
Mentioning that drugs come from India and Myanmar through border points as those illegal items are not produced inside the country, Khan urged the local MPs concerned to increase surveillance across the border areas to check the inflow of drugs as well as to identify smugglers, involved in drug smugglings.
Referring to the outcome of the meeting, the Home Minister said most of illegal drugs are being entered inside the country through different points of Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar. MPs, who attended the meeting, gave a number of suggestions to check drug smugglings.
The MPs also suggested to strengthen capability of law enforcement agencies, specially BGB and Coast Guard, the Home Minister said the government has already taken initiatives to bring dynamism in BGB and Coast Guard.
Two vessels will be provided to Coast Guard very soon and those are now waiting in Mongla Port, while around 15,000 more members will be recruited for BGB aiming to increase patrolling along the 4700 km borders to curb drug smuggling, the Home Minister said..
Replying to a question, he said there is no alternative of maintaining coordination among the law enforcement agencies. ” I have already given instruction to maintain coordination among the agencies, including police, RAB, BGB and Coast Guard,” he said.
About amendment of existing Narcotics Control Act, the Home Minister said the act would be amended very soon so that perpetrators are not release through loopholes of the Act.
About reducing of killing along the Indo-Bangla Boarder, he said incident of boarder killing has been reducing day by day due to commitment of the two border guards—BGB and Indian BSF. The Home Minister said, 38 Bangladeshi people were killed in 2008 and the figure was 67 in 2009, 60 in 2010 and 39 in 2011, while only 21 people were killed along the border till 30 November this year showing down trend of the incident.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam and Secretary of Public Security Division of Home Ministry Mostafa Kamal Uddin were also present in the view exchange meeting, which was held for the first time in BGB headquarters.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Sunday said the government would be very trough to put an end to smuggling through different bordering points of the country.
“Steps are being taken against those who are engaged in drug smuggling. Even law enforcers and public representatives will not be spared if they are found involved in such heinous act,” the Home Minister said while taking to reporters after attending a view-exchange meeting over border problems and solutions at BGB Headquarters at Pilkhana in the city.
Total 33 Members of Parliament of the bordering constituencies and top officials of different law enforcement agencies including Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), Bangladesh Coast Guard and police, took part in the meeting.
Mentioning that drugs come from India and Myanmar through border points as those illegal items are not produced inside the country, Khan urged the local MPs concerned to increase surveillance across the border areas to check the inflow of drugs as well as to identify smugglers, involved in drug smugglings.
Referring to the outcome of the meeting, the Home Minister said most of illegal drugs are being entered inside the country through different points of Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar. MPs, who attended the meeting, gave a number of suggestions to check drug smugglings.
The MPs also suggested to strengthen capability of law enforcement agencies, specially BGB and Coast Guard, the Home Minister said the government has already taken initiatives to bring dynamism in BGB and Coast Guard.
Two vessels will be provided to Coast Guard very soon and those are now waiting in Mongla Port, while around 15,000 more members will be recruited for BGB aiming to increase patrolling along the 4700 km borders to curb drug smuggling, the Home Minister said..
Replying to a question, he said there is no alternative of maintaining coordination among the law enforcement agencies. ” I have already given instruction to maintain coordination among the agencies, including police, RAB, BGB and Coast Guard,” he said.
About amendment of existing Narcotics Control Act, the Home Minister said the act would be amended very soon so that perpetrators are not release through loopholes of the Act.
About reducing of killing along the Indo-Bangla Boarder, he said incident of boarder killing has been reducing day by day due to commitment of the two border guards—BGB and Indian BSF. The Home Minister said, 38 Bangladeshi people were killed in 2008 and the figure was 67 in 2009, 60 in 2010 and 39 in 2011, while only 21 people were killed along the border till 30 November this year showing down trend of the incident.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam and Secretary of Public Security Division of Home Ministry Mostafa Kamal Uddin were also present in the view exchange meeting, which was held for the first time in BGB headquarters.
