BSS, Rajshahi :
Integrated efforts of all government and non-government organizations along with community participation has become crucial for freeing the society from curse of drugs, its illicit trafficking and trade.
There is no alternative to making all the existing movements and efforts of preventing drug abuse effective and fruitful to protect the young generation from further degradation.
The observation came at a virtual seminar organized on the occasion of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illegal Trafficking on Saturday with a call to launch a united movement against the menace.
Light House Consortium and Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) jointly organized the seminar in association with Ashakta Punarbashan Sangstha (APOSH) and Nari O Shishu Kalyan Society (NSKS) under the ‘Promoting Advocacy and Rights (PAR)’ and ‘Drug Abuse Resistance and Understanding- DARAU’ projects.
Counterpart International is extending technical support while USAID and UKAID financial supported DARAU project is being implemented in eight wards of Rajshahi City Corporation and all nine upazilas in Rajshahi district and all six upazilas and four municipalities in Natore district.
Around 95 persons including administrative officials, public representatives, members of the civil society, professional leaders, journalists and development activists from Rajshahi and Natore districts joined the seminar.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Natore Shamim Ahmed and Additional District Magistrate in Rajshahi Abu Aslam addressed the meeting as chief and special guests respectively with Additional Director of the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) Zafrullah Kazal in the chair.
Upazila Chairmen Muhammad Asaduzzaman and Dr Siddiqur Rahman Patwary, Upazila Nirbahi Officers Mohsin Mridha, Nurul Hai Muhammad Anas and Prianka Devi Paul and Editor of Daily Sonar Desh Akbarul Hassan Millat also spoke.
Chief Executive of Light House Harun-Or-Rashid gave an overview of the project, demonstrating its aims, objectives and implementation strategy, while DARAO Project Manager Subrata Kumar Paul moderated the discussion.
In his remarks, DC Shamim Ahmed said the present government has zero tolerance against drug-addiction and urged all quarters to come forward to protect the young generation from the grip of social crime.
“We have to build a healthy society to achieve sustainable development goals,” he said, adding the movement against drug abuse should be turned into a social movement. He urged all concerned to work along with the government to prevent drug abuse.
Harun-Or-Rashid told the meeting that cross-sections of people including women, parents, school and out-of-school children, adolescents, youth, transgender, public representatives and members of the civil society are being engaged in the anti-drug abuse campaign.
He said the project is intended to benefiting around four lakh people either directly or indirectly.
