The coronavirus pandemic has stopped the world in its tracks, but drug traders in Bangladesh enjoy a booming business. Incidents of drug cache seizure and arrest of drug trafficking suspects have even increased despite the lockdowns and closure of borders. Bangladesh is now considered one of the top South Asian countries for the number and volume of drug business. Though drug dealers are constantly being caught, the import of new drugs has not stopped.
Routes of Yaba supply from Myanmar to neighbouring China and Thailand have been cut off due to the tough stance of Chinese and Thai authorities. Since then, Bangladesh has become a big market for Myanmar drug traffickers. If the easy access of drugs from the neighbouring countries is not stopped, the drug menace cannot be brought under control. Geographically, Bangladesh is in the midst of the three largest drug producing regions in the world. This is a ‘sandwiched’ situation. Myanmar and Thailand are in the Golden Triangle, India is the top country in the Golden Way region and in the Golden Crescent region there are Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan.
The drug traffickers are trying to outfox the law enforcement agencies in different ways like using covers of food or emergency goods to transport drugs. The Border Guard Bangladesh seized over 1.2 million Yaba pills and more than 63,000 bottles of phensedyl in March and April. The seized drugs also include cannabis, wine, beer, pathogen injection ampoules, viagra and other illicit items. Experts recommend that policymakers should take immediate action to halt the internal drug routes and nab the kingpins. Besides, the civil society organisations, educational institutions, and cultural organisations should motivate people to take care of their children, while social and religious leaders should help strengthen family bonds to prevent delinquency. The whole society should be mobilised comprehensively to disband the illicit trade.
