NARCOTICS trade continues unabated at some of the hotspots in the capital with drug dealers continually changing their tactics in the face of the ongoing nationwide anti-drugs crackdown. The people involved in the illicit trade have become vigilant, but sales haven’t stopped. It is, however, difficult to comment about the situation in the rural areas but consumers of the major cities could yet not be cut-off from the supply chain.
With some 60 people dead the drive had a mixed impact since it was launched. Additionally, what has been reported is that the price factor of the Yaba pill hasn’t shot up. If proven true, it’s time we question the effectiveness of the drive. Nevertheless, one positive development of the crackdown is Teknaf and Cox’s Bazar areas have been included in the drive and no sooner to their inclusion – law enforcers had seized around quarter a million of the deadly pink pills from the nearby border areas.
Historical facts and the current reality suggest that no country on earth could completely eliminate the illicit drug trade. The best they could do is to bring the trade under their tight control.
Said easier than done, the success of the drive against drug dealers largely depends on targets the law enforcers pick up. As of late, they have only run down and killed petty dealers in the name of engaging in ‘gunfights’, small peddlers and their local agents. But the big fish or godfathers for that matter still remain unscathed. They include several lawmakers from the ruling party and are very close with powerful ministers such as the Home Minister. As such the top criminals involved in illegal drug import, marketing and promoting their use have been safe from the guns of the police and RAB — who for some mysterious reasons spare the drug lords from the dragnet.
We have witnessed repeated drives against contraband drug trade and almost all of them in the past had ended with a regular pattern with little result. We are afraid, apart from having a temporary effect on the countrywide trade the latest crackdown would fail to provide a long-term solution.
With some 60 people dead the drive had a mixed impact since it was launched. Additionally, what has been reported is that the price factor of the Yaba pill hasn’t shot up. If proven true, it’s time we question the effectiveness of the drive. Nevertheless, one positive development of the crackdown is Teknaf and Cox’s Bazar areas have been included in the drive and no sooner to their inclusion – law enforcers had seized around quarter a million of the deadly pink pills from the nearby border areas.
Historical facts and the current reality suggest that no country on earth could completely eliminate the illicit drug trade. The best they could do is to bring the trade under their tight control.
Said easier than done, the success of the drive against drug dealers largely depends on targets the law enforcers pick up. As of late, they have only run down and killed petty dealers in the name of engaging in ‘gunfights’, small peddlers and their local agents. But the big fish or godfathers for that matter still remain unscathed. They include several lawmakers from the ruling party and are very close with powerful ministers such as the Home Minister. As such the top criminals involved in illegal drug import, marketing and promoting their use have been safe from the guns of the police and RAB — who for some mysterious reasons spare the drug lords from the dragnet.
We have witnessed repeated drives against contraband drug trade and almost all of them in the past had ended with a regular pattern with little result. We are afraid, apart from having a temporary effect on the countrywide trade the latest crackdown would fail to provide a long-term solution.
