ENGLISH news reports said Bangladesh Navy personnel have seized the ‘biggest ever’ Yaba consignment at the outer anchorage of Chittagong Port sending the alarm signal on how a greater number of younger generation is switching to growing drug addiction. It means the mental health of the new generation people is eroding fast to contribute to rapid deterioration of law and order in the streets along with developing other socio-economic problems. As it appears the consignment included 15 lakh pieces of the drug worth around Tk 82.50 crore and carried in a fishing trawler. Navy personnel seized the trawler from the outer anchorage and officials of anti-smuggling cell operating at the port later recovered the Yaba tablets from the abandoned vessel. But the smugglers fled from the scene and it is not clear whether or not further investigation into the drug haul would continue to nab the culprits. The suspicion arises because of the reported nexus that often exists between law enforcers, customs people and port officials, and the smugglers. We are really appalled in this case by the poor coordination capacity of the anti-smuggling cell at the port in absence of any role played by Coast Guards and Navy ships in nabbing the culprits.
Yaba intake has emerged as an immensely popular form of temporary excitement and pleasure to beat back fatigue and frustration and its marketing network is now stressed from urban to rural countryside. Many bigwigs in political and business establishments are engaged to promoting the business and protecting its network. Moreover the scale of its addiction is noticeable at almost every city corner and abandoned playground by night. Even school and college students are becoming addicted with the drug as it is available now at hand’s distance. More than 4.6 million regular Yaba users are now reported in Bangladesh and the number is increasing every day. The drug is popular in Thailand, Myanmar and the adjacent regions and drug traffickers are at work here to create a bigger market in Bangladesh, no mater its abusive affect on the younger generation to destroy their career.
We know that it is high crime but practically the crime department is more supportive to them for financial benefit rather working to wipe out the drug importers and dealers. We urge the authorities concerned to enforce the preventive measure from the port of entry to destroying the marketing network throughout the country. We must do everything to save our younger generation from falling into this trap.
