Home adviser calls for developing new strategies to confront drug abuse

Home Adviser Lieutenant General Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (Retd) today stressed the need for developing newer strategies to effectively fight drug abuse at the emergence of new synthetic and semi-synthetic drugs or New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) across the globe. 

"We have to develop new strategies for dealing with these new drugs. In order to ensure legal measures against these narcotics, necessary measures have been taken to increase strategic surveillance in addition to including them in the schedule of the law," he said. 

The Home Adviser was addressing a discussion meeting organized by the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) at the Osmani Smrity Auditorium here on the occasion of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. 

"All law enforcement agencies and intelligence agencies of the country are vigilant about new types of narcotics and initiatives are being taken to prevent their spread," he said.

Jahangir said the interim Government is committed to protecting the country and the nation from the scourge of narcotics.

The Narcotics Control Department has been continuously conducting anti-narcotics activities with insufficient and limited manpower to make the country drug-free, he said. 

The Home Adviser said that drug abuse and illegal trafficking are multidimensional problems that cannot be solved by law enforcement alone. 

In addition to law enforcement, people from all walks of life must be involved in the anti-drug social movement. 

"Anti-drug campaigns must be further strengthened to reduce the demand for drugs. I specially request people from all walks of life, including the government, non-governmental organizations, teachers, religious leaders, parents, civil society, guardians, and guardians, to come forward to solve this problem," he said.

Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Md. Khuda Baksh Chowdhury, Senior Home Secretary Nasimul Ghani and Director General of DNC Md Hasan Maruf, spoke at the discussion. 

The Home Adviser described drug abuse and illegal trafficking as a global problem and said drug addiction has shaken the conscience of the world.

"Its black claws are spreading from one end of the world to the other. As a result of illegal drug trafficking and abuse, public health, law and order and the country's economy are under threat,' Jahangir said. 

Jahangir said that the development of the country is being hampered due to the terrible invasion of drugs. 

Mentioning that the main regulator of the development of any country is the huge working youth force, he said only educated and skilled youth force with modern and technological educational background can take the country to the peak of development. 

"Whenever discrimination, deprivation, injustice and crisis of values have arisen in the context of Bangladesh, the youth society has resisted it through determination and unity," he said. 

Jahangir said that the mass uprising of students, youth and the public in July is the victory of the youth society and youth. 

"If we want to be developed and successful in the future, we must keep this young society free from drugs," he said. 

The Home Adviser said that people from different classes and professions of the country are getting involved in illegal drugs in various ways, and a terrible issue of drug smuggling in our country is that women, children and adolescents are being used for this dirty work. 

"As a result, the criminality among them is increasing, and a significant part of them are becoming drug addicts. To solve this problem, our ministry is working together with the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and the Ministry of Social Welfare," he said. 

In addition, various awareness activities are being conducted by forming anti-drug committees in educational institutions and organizing regular meetings, seminars, and debate competitions, he added. 

"After formulating a comprehensive action plan at each district and upazila level of the country, its implementation activities are underway," he stated.