AN article in a local daily reported that drugs like yaba and phensidyl are entering the country in record numbers ahead of the Eid festival. The article mentioned that drugs like the above mentioned and others are smuggled into Bangladesh in record numbers to take advantage of the carnival mood which surrounds the country ahead of the Eid festival - the biggest in the Muslim calendar.
The article further stated that these drugs are produced in our neighbouring countries so that it is much easier for the smugglers to illicitly smuggle them into Bangladesh. Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and India are some of the places where these drugs are produced and then smuggled in through the porous border regions of e.g. the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
All of this is nothing new. Drugs like heroin were first smuggled into Bangladesh in the 1980s - before that the consumption of opium and cannabis were traditional in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is a signatory to all three UN Conventions on drug abuse and trafficking, namely the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs 1961, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances 1971 and the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances 1988. Legislation available include The Narcotics Control Act of 1990 (Act Number XX of 1990) which covers the control of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, including provision for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug dependent people. Bangladesh has amended the narcotics act and allows the Director General of the Department of Narcotics Control to send drug addicts for treatment. Drug use is considered a treatable condition rather than a criminal offence. The Act was further strengthened through an amendment in 2002. The key features of the amendment include the incorporation of the precursor chemicals in the schedule of drugs, provisions for warning on labels and packages on drugs and precursors, maintaining correct accounts of drugs and precursors, financial investigation, seizure and forfeiture of assets of illicit traffickers, freezing of bank accounts, etc.
Despite having stringent laws which forbid the sale or abuse of drugs the problem refuses to go away. This can only occur if the demand side cannot be controlled - if no demand exists, the supply will eventually fade away. Reports mention that one million drug users exist and mention the deep seated poverty which exists in the country as a reason for taking drugs.
The children of affluent sections of the society are found to be victims of drugs abuse. All drugs are not cheap. It is more likely that lack of opportunities for productive engagement by the young ones and the resultant frustration is driving many to drugs.
What should be taken seriously is the fact that drugs are a lucrative business and those who are in this business must be stopped and punished harshly. Punishing or stopping them is not easy because they have powerful connections. Of course, those who have become addicted to it should be on our priority list for treatment. The treatment facilities for the drug addicts are woefully inadequate. The drug problems are talked about but not seriously dealt with.