More than one lakh people both male and female will come forward and work together to fight against drug abuse to protect the young generation from its devastating effects in Rajshahi and Natore districts. To this end, various motivational and awareness programmes will be conducted for their capacity building besides boosting their level of confidence with intervention of a project titled “Drug Abuse Resistance and Understanding- DARAU” within the next two-years.

Four development organisations- Light House, Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM), Ashakta Punarbashan Sangstha (APOSH) and Nari O Shishu Kalyan Society- will implement the project aimed at combating drug abuse.

Counterpart International will extend technical support while USAID and UKAID financial support to implement the project in eight wards of Rajshahi City Corporation and all nine upazilas in Rajshahi district and all six upazilas and four municipalities in Natore district. These were revealed in a project inception meeting held at the

conference hall of Deputy Commissioner’s office here yesterday under the Promoting Advocacy and Rights (PAR) Project attended by around 50 persons from various stakes concerned. Deputy Director of Local Government Division Parvej Raihan addressed the meeting as chief guest while Bangladesh Chief of Party in Counterpart International Kelly Jones as guest of honour with Chief Executive of Light House Harun-Or-Rashid in the chair.

Civil Surgeon Dr Enamul Haque, Additional Director of Department of Narcotics Control Zafrullah Kazal and its Deputy Director Lutfor Rahman and District Education Officer Nasir Uddin spoke as special guests.

Editor of Daily Sonar Desh Akbarul Hassan Millat, APOSH Executive Director Abul Bashar, DARAO Project Coordinator Monwar Hossain and its Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Coordinator Subrata Kumar Paul also spoke.

In his remarks, Parvej Raihan said the present government is zero tolerance against drug-addiction and urged all quarters to come forward to protect the young generation from the grip of the social crime.

 “We have to build a healthy society to achieve sustainable development goals,” he said, adding the movement against drug abuse should be turned into social movement.

Harun-Or-Rashid told the meeting that cross-sections of people including women, parents, school and out-of-school children, adolescents, youth, transgender, public representatives and members of the civil society will be engaged in the anti-drug abuse campaign.

He said the project is intended to benefit around four lakh people either directly or indirectly.