Despite tough vigilance and special drives by law enforcers, narcotics, especially yaba, smuggling increased in 2021 compared with the previous year. The amount of yaba seized, which is smuggled into the country from Myanmar, increased by 45.88 per cent in 2021 than the earlier year. A similar scenario has been witnessed in regards to heroin and cannabis, which mainly enter from India. While the amount of heroin, seized by law enforcers, increased by 109.67 per cent during the period.
Only eight to 10 per cent of total smuggled narcotics can be seized by law enforcers, and 90 per cent flood the market. Usually, when smuggling increases so do seizures. Adoption of new techniques by smugglers, use of the dark web, and absence of enforcement agencies’ access to technology and accountability are blamed as reasons behind the increase. The increase of seizures clearly reflects the smuggling and availability of narcotics. But it points to the fact that law enforcers are active. Experts said war against narcotics requires combined efforts, and enforcement agencies have to play a major role here by performing their duty with utmost integrity.
In recent times, a number of new types of narcotics like crystal meth, magic mushroom and MDMA were found to be available in the country. The alarming thing is that smugglers are using the dark web and applications that encrypt information to place orders for narcotics from abroad and communicate with suppliers. According to DNC’s annual report, people aged 16 to 40 comprise 84.27 per cent of the total drug abusers in Bangladesh, and drug abuse is most severe among those aged 21 to 25. These groups come from different socio-economic backgrounds, but those with no income source comprise 63.64 per cent of total drug abusers, read the report.
We have some limitations and are not able to provide proper service in drug rehabilitation centers. We do not have psychiatrists; we do not have experienced doctors. The government must stop drugs by any means and increase rehabilitation facilities across the country.
