The Cabinet on Monday approved in principle a draft of the Narcotics Control (Amendment) Bill 2020 as the government backtracked on implementing a provision of the Narcotics Control Act 2018 that required creation of separate tribunals at the district level to deal with drug-related cases with speed and efficiency.
The government decision came when the on-going drives against narcotics apparently failed to stop the menace of drug trade and drug abuse. Launched in May 2018, the countrywide anti-drug drives have reportedly killed over 480 suspects so far.
The government could not set up separate tribunals in any district for ‘administrative reasons’ and shortage of judges, although the newly enacted narcotics control law required creation of separate tribunals to deal with drug-related cases came in force on December 10, 2018.
Thousands of narcotics cases are now piled up in different courts. It is unacceptable that the government could not set up tribunals due to a shortage of judges as they had administrative duties to fulfill. The High Court Division also reproved the government for not setting up tribunals.
Despite carrying out the anti-drug drives for over one year and eight months it had little impact on the drug scenario and the supply chain remains intact as demand for drugs continues to rise while treatment of addicts lies largely unaddressed in Bangladesh.
A paucity of judges can’t be the sole reason for stopping the enactment of the Act for the most dangerous internal menace of the country. It shows that despite tough talk and even tougher action the government has failed miserably to contain the menace.
If we can root out terrorism we can also set up enough intelligence cells to combat drugs. But terrorism is taken as way of conducting police terrorism to suppress public grievances.
The High Court Division is certainly aware how the tribunals can be politically abused. We do not want the judiciary to be used for covering up the incompetence of the government.
When government denies people the choice of government in a free election we cannot be sure that tribunal will not be used politically. It is not unknown how the lower judiciary is interfered with by the law ministry.
Before special tribunal can be supported for suppressing terrorism we must emphasise that it cannot done without taking into consideration the politics of the government and how independent will be the role of the police.
The government also needs to explain how under its rule for a long period terrorism has emerged as a serious problem.
