Myanmar army directly involved in trafficking yaba to Bangladesh: Prof Imtiaz

The Myanmar army is directly involved in the production and trafficking of yaba and crystal meth to Bangladesh, Professor Imtiaz Ahmed of the International Relations Department of Dhaka University alleged on Wednesday.

"Bangladesh is being used as a major route for these drugs by the Myanmar army," the professor said while delivering the keynote address at a seminar on 'Rohingya and Narco Terrorism' at the Radisson Blue Water Garden in the capital.

"They [Myanmar military] earn huge amounts of money every month as profit from this [drug] trade. They want to make Bangladesh a sanctuary of yaba and crystal meth," he said.

Speakers at the seminar, organised by the monthly magazine 'Diplomats', a journal of the country's platform of diplomats, Diplomats Team, also expressed concern over the increase in the trade and use of drugs, especially yaba, in Bangladesh by the Rohingyas.

Prof Imtiaz Ahmed said the local market for yaba and crystal meth, most of which comes from Myanmar, has expanded since the arrival of the Rohingyas in 2017.

Also speaking on the occasion, Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Essa Yousef Essa Alduhailan said Bangladesh is not the only place where the drug problem is increasing because of the Rohingyas.

"It is also causing problems internationally. The Rohingyas are smuggling these drugs to Saudi Arabia," he said.

The envoy demanded strong international initiatives to solve the Rohingya crisis and promised full cooperation with Bangladesh by Saudi Arabia to solve the problem.

Speaking as the chief guest in the seminar, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said Bangladesh has faced additional pressure and risks in many ways— drug smuggling, human trafficking, border security— by sheltering the Rohingyas.

He said despite not producing any drugs, Bangladesh has now become a victim of it.

He called on friendly countries to cooperate in solving the Rohingya crisis immediately.

Speaking as a special guest, Foreign Secretary Masood bin Momen said drug trafficking and crime have increased along the border in recent times. The number of drug seizures in areas where the Rohingyas live has also increased.

He said, "Synthetic drugs are coming across the border where the Rohingyas are working as [drug] carriers. Arms smuggling has become a threat to law enforcement agencies. Rohingya camps are at the centre of these smuggling activities.

"Human trafficking is happening from Rohingya camps."

The foreign secretary expects that transferring Rohingyas to Bhashan Char will reduce human trafficking.

He said almost 50% of the Rohingyas who have taken refuge in Bangladesh are children, many of whom are getting involved in terrorism and drug smuggling.

He suggested getting in touch with Asean to solve the Rohingya crisis, saying there are gaps in the mechanism between Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, security analyst Brigadier General (Rtd) M Sakhawat Hussain said many countries, including Japan and Singapore, have made large commercial investments in Myanmar. The issue of solving the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh has taken a very complicated shape.

Robert Dickson, British High Commissioner in Dhaka, Haji Haris bin Haji Othman, Brunei High Commissioner in Dhaka, Delwar Hossain, a teacher at the International Relations Department of Dhaka University, Professor Shahab Enam Khan, a teacher at the International Relations Department of Jahangirnagar University, were present at the seminar among others.

Diplomats' Executive Editor Nazinur Rahim presided over the programme.