Badrul Huda Sohel :
It was to me an utter shocking as various media reported a few days ago that a fishing trawler with yaba tablets worth Tk 40 crore was seized. This makes it very clear at what rate the destructive yaba is spreading across the country. Millions of people in the country today are trapped in the deadly yaba trap. The number of yaba consumers is increasing at a significant rate day by day. Thus thousands of crores of money are being wasted behind the deadly yaba. The prohibited yaba has become so widespread in the country that it is now booming in rural areas beyond the towns. I was surprised to know that the price of each yaba tablet is Tk. 300.
To talk about yaba, we have to go back to the story of the World War-II. German leader Adolf Hitler wanted a chemical that would not make his soldiers tired easily. His idea was to keep the troops engaged in the battlefield day and night. The country’s scientists were able to prepare a substance called methyl amphetamine to enable soldiers to fight without sleep for long time.
Yaba later emerged as a new drug by adding caffeine to methyl amphetamines. In Thailand at one time, people used yaba as medicine. Especially drivers to drive long distance took certain amount of yaba so that they would not get tired while driving at night. The drug later proved had a negative effect on users at one time and resulted in major road accidents due to unbalanced driving. Yaba was then banned there.
Yaba stated to appear in Bangladesh in the late 90s. It was exposed more seriously by the recent time when a large number of our youths are addicted to it alarmingly. It mainly comes from Myanmar with many small and large factories in that country manufacturing a huge quantity of yaba to send in Bangladesh.
Our youths are using yaba for high intoxication, though it was initially taken as a sexually stimulating tablet. Its severe side effects could easily be guessed within a few days. As a result of regular consumption of yaba, people suffer from various diseases such as permanent loss of sexual ability, bleeding in the brain, insomnia, loss of appetite and brain disorders. Even, people do not hesitate to engage in heinous acts like murder due to memory loss and instability problems. Yaba is also a cause of lung tumors and cancers, including heart attacks and kidney failure. Yet, our youths are getting addicted to yaba day by day due to its effect on temporary stimulation and also for temporary energy.
However, influential quarters in the society are controlling the yaba business through strong syndicates capitalizing on political identity. They easily entrap school, college and university-going students. Due to misunderstanding on affair in some cases, the young ones frustrated extremely are leading to take drugs, including yaba. They are getting involved in various criminal activities to get money for yaba tablets. Many times we see that most of the people who are involved in various kinds of misdeeds like theft, robbery, snatching, kidnapping, rape etc. are yaba consumers. Therefore, in order to protect the young community of the country from the consumption of drugs like yaba, it is imperative to increase awareness in all circles from now on.
Time has come to rethink to prevent the spread of the deadly yaba. The most important role in this case can be played by the law enforcement agencies. As yaba enters our country from Myanmar through the Teknaf border, patrolling in those border areas needs to be strengthened. And since yaba is spread all over Bangladesh through Cox’s Bazar, the government needs to take all necessary measures considering Cox’s Bazar as an important route to prevent yaba. The departments working for controlling narcotics need to play a more active role. Since men as well as women are involved in this business, it would not be right to keep anyone, men-women, powerful ones or political leaders free from suspicion.
Railway stations, hotels, restaurants and clubs, which are considered as hotspots for yaba consumption and business, should be monitored strictly and yaba traders should be identified and brought under proper judgment. As the youth community is becoming more addicted to yaba, senior citizens including parents and teachers need to come forward in this regard. Instead of being harsh to children, they need to be counseled by explaining the evils of yaba. No matter how strong and powerful the groups involved in yaba consumption and business, it is not difficult to protect our future generations from this terrible clutches of yaba if exemplary punishment is ensured for the drug traders through strict laws.
It was to me an utter shocking as various media reported a few days ago that a fishing trawler with yaba tablets worth Tk 40 crore was seized. This makes it very clear at what rate the destructive yaba is spreading across the country. Millions of people in the country today are trapped in the deadly yaba trap. The number of yaba consumers is increasing at a significant rate day by day. Thus thousands of crores of money are being wasted behind the deadly yaba. The prohibited yaba has become so widespread in the country that it is now booming in rural areas beyond the towns. I was surprised to know that the price of each yaba tablet is Tk. 300.
To talk about yaba, we have to go back to the story of the World War-II. German leader Adolf Hitler wanted a chemical that would not make his soldiers tired easily. His idea was to keep the troops engaged in the battlefield day and night. The country’s scientists were able to prepare a substance called methyl amphetamine to enable soldiers to fight without sleep for long time.
Yaba later emerged as a new drug by adding caffeine to methyl amphetamines. In Thailand at one time, people used yaba as medicine. Especially drivers to drive long distance took certain amount of yaba so that they would not get tired while driving at night. The drug later proved had a negative effect on users at one time and resulted in major road accidents due to unbalanced driving. Yaba was then banned there.
Yaba stated to appear in Bangladesh in the late 90s. It was exposed more seriously by the recent time when a large number of our youths are addicted to it alarmingly. It mainly comes from Myanmar with many small and large factories in that country manufacturing a huge quantity of yaba to send in Bangladesh.
Our youths are using yaba for high intoxication, though it was initially taken as a sexually stimulating tablet. Its severe side effects could easily be guessed within a few days. As a result of regular consumption of yaba, people suffer from various diseases such as permanent loss of sexual ability, bleeding in the brain, insomnia, loss of appetite and brain disorders. Even, people do not hesitate to engage in heinous acts like murder due to memory loss and instability problems. Yaba is also a cause of lung tumors and cancers, including heart attacks and kidney failure. Yet, our youths are getting addicted to yaba day by day due to its effect on temporary stimulation and also for temporary energy.
However, influential quarters in the society are controlling the yaba business through strong syndicates capitalizing on political identity. They easily entrap school, college and university-going students. Due to misunderstanding on affair in some cases, the young ones frustrated extremely are leading to take drugs, including yaba. They are getting involved in various criminal activities to get money for yaba tablets. Many times we see that most of the people who are involved in various kinds of misdeeds like theft, robbery, snatching, kidnapping, rape etc. are yaba consumers. Therefore, in order to protect the young community of the country from the consumption of drugs like yaba, it is imperative to increase awareness in all circles from now on.
Time has come to rethink to prevent the spread of the deadly yaba. The most important role in this case can be played by the law enforcement agencies. As yaba enters our country from Myanmar through the Teknaf border, patrolling in those border areas needs to be strengthened. And since yaba is spread all over Bangladesh through Cox’s Bazar, the government needs to take all necessary measures considering Cox’s Bazar as an important route to prevent yaba. The departments working for controlling narcotics need to play a more active role. Since men as well as women are involved in this business, it would not be right to keep anyone, men-women, powerful ones or political leaders free from suspicion.
Railway stations, hotels, restaurants and clubs, which are considered as hotspots for yaba consumption and business, should be monitored strictly and yaba traders should be identified and brought under proper judgment. As the youth community is becoming more addicted to yaba, senior citizens including parents and teachers need to come forward in this regard. Instead of being harsh to children, they need to be counseled by explaining the evils of yaba. No matter how strong and powerful the groups involved in yaba consumption and business, it is not difficult to protect our future generations from this terrible clutches of yaba if exemplary punishment is ensured for the drug traders through strict laws.
(Mr. Badrul is Assistant Professor, Department of English, Ishakha International University. E-mail: [email protected])
