150 drug dealers to surrender Feb 16
Staff Reporter, Dhaka
With the government tightening the noose around drug dealers and peddlers, a large number of listed and identified offenders will surrender before the home minister at Teknaf, in Coxs Bazar, on February 16 (Saturday). The surrender will take place on the Teknaf College ground around 10am.
According to the police and other sources in Coxs Bazar, about 150 yaba dealers and peddlers are likely to surrender. Besides, several yaba traders are contacting different law enforcement agencies to surrender as the harsh crackdown on them since last year has made them opt for staying in jail for their own safety.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal is set to make a three-day visit to Coxs Bazar to attend the surrender. This correspondent tried to reach the home minister over phone for comments. However, he could not be reached.
The inspector general of police (IGP), Mohammad Javed Patwary, is also scheduled to be present.
ABM Masud Hossain, superintendent of police (SP) of Coxs Bazar, told The Independent that yaba traders, listed and identified by the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC), will surrender on February 16. All measures for this have been completed.
The home minister will reach Coxs Bazar by a flight to attend the event as chief guest, said the official. Data with the home ministry disclosed that there are 1,151 listed drug dealers in the country. Of them, 912 live in Teknaf. More than 90 per cent of the supplies of the Yaba drug enters Bangladesh through this upazila.
On May last year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced a war on drugs after a reported rise in the sale and use of methamphetamine. Following the announcement, law enforcement agencies launched a nationwide anti-drug drive. The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) launched its drive on May 4 and the police on May 18 last year.
Police and RAB sources said with the voluntary surrenders of these drug dealers, the scope of finding a relatively peaceful solution to the drug epidemic in the country has been created.
Nazrul Islam Sikder, additional director (operations) of the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC), recently told The Independent that they were monitoring the surrender process of the drug peddlers in Teknaf.
At this point, it is difficult for us to comment on the issue as we are not directly involved with it. But we can say that this surrender process will facilitate the ongoing drive against drugs, he said.
Recently, Teknaf Sadar upazila parishad member Enamul Haque surrendered to the police after making an announcement in Facebook. The police said he has over a dozen cases against him.
On October 27, last year, parliament passed the Narcotics Control Act 2018 with a provision for death penalty to the people convicted of yaba manufacture, distribution and trade. All types of drugs, including yaba and Shisha, have been added to the new law.
The maximum penalty will be death in case of over 5 grams of methamphetamine. The punishments for such offences also include life-term imprisonment and fines in the law.
On Oct 8, the cabinet approved a draft of the Act at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
