THE number of drug addicts has been increasing alarmingly in the country. On an average 114 patients take treatment every day at public and private rehabilitation centers. Department of Narcotics Control said the number was 104 and 69 in 2018 and 2017 respectively. A total of 90,133 people with addiction underwent treatment at five government rehabilitation centers and 53,720 at 324 private ones in the last five years. Easy availability of narcotics is the number one reason behind the rise of drug addicts. Besides, despair with life, unemployment, poor income against growing expenditure, et cetera are significantly contributing to the rise of drug addicts. The “war against drug” that killed around 500 people extra-judicially across the country has failed to break the network as the law enforcers spared the political musclemen and kingpins.
Presently, anyone can buy drugs staying at home by placing an order over phone or online. Young people are particularly at risk because most of the drug abusers are aged between 18 and 35 years. The government has allocated Tk 1 crore to incentivize private rehabilitation centers, though there are no rehabilitation centers in 23 districts. The government, NGOs, educational and religious institutions should work coordinately to fight against drugs while the law enforcers, border guards, local government officials and judiciary should be strict in stopping it. What’s contradictory is that the latest data of the Department of Narcotics categorically rejects the law enforcers’ extra-judicial killing of drug peddlers. Fight against drugs in our country seems to be most ineffective. It has made easier for the law enforcing agencies to use such allegations to harass innocent persons for extorting money. Drug allegations have also been used for police action against political opponents.
We must have a competent and accountable government if we want to save ourselves from the problems that becoming more intractable. Abuse of power is found everywhere and that cannot be the way for a successful government. Through lying about success, the government is cheating itself to harm itself.
