Drug dealers have become active in Ishwardi upazila of Pabna district ahead of Eid. Rail and road are now being used to bring all these drugs. Every day heroin, cannabis, phensedyl and other drugs are coming through these mediums. Drug dealers from different places are entering Ishwardi with very good tactics. In a recent operation, members of the law enforcement forces arrested several drug dealers with drugs and sent them to jail.
On April 8, members of RAB-12 Pabna camp arrested a drug dealer named Major Ali (28) with 412 grams of heroin. He was arrested in the morning raid at Ishwardi railway junction station. He is the son of Durul Hoda of Mohrapur area of Godagari upazila of Rajshahi. According to RAB, Major Ali is a first class drug dealer. He used to buy and sell drugs in different parts of the country including his own area. Three days later, on 11 April, on the basis of secret information of the upazila, RAB launched an operation in Diar Sahapur. Budu Pramanik (52) was arrested with 14 grams of heroin in front of BRAC office in Diyarsahapur. He is the son of late Ibrahim Pramanik of Joynagar area of Salimpur union of the upazila. According to RAB, Budu Pramanik has been selling drugs in different parts of the country including his own area for a long time.
Meanwhile, members of the Drug Control Department (DNC) Pabna 'B' Circle Ishwardi also arrested two drug dealers in a two-day operation. On April 9, members of DNC Pabna 'B' Circle Ishwardi arrested Jiban Hossain, 35, son of late Golbar Hossain of Piyarakhali with 105 pieces of yaba in a sting operation in Piyarakhali of Ishwardi municipal area. Besides, on April 12, a youth named Rafin Mandal alias Ashiq (29) was arrested with 30 bottles of Fencidil. He was arrested on Tuesday morning in a raid at the Khayer Haji Mess behind Khayer Haji Market on College Road in Ishwardi Municipal Area. He had been running drug business in Ishwardi for a long time. After filing a case against them at Ishwardi police station, they were sent to Pabna jail through the court. Police say drug traffickers will run their activities. However, the police operation to catch them is continuing and it has been intensified now.
It has been learned that traders can easily enter Ishwardi with drugs as communication with other districts such as road, sea and rail system is uninterrupted. Law enforcement arrested one or two people on a tip-off, but most of the traffickers managed to escape by selling and buying their drugs. Apart from this, drugs are bought and sold in Fateh Mohammadpur, Milpatri, Kacharipara, Arambaria and Hakshatpara of Pakshi. Through them, drugs go into the hands of drug addicts.
Talking to two or three conscious citizens about drugs, they said that drugs have become very available in Ishwardi. Not only cities but also villages have become addicted to drugs. Young people are getting addicted to it. Parents are worried about their child's future. They also said that members of the law enforcement forces occasionally carry out raids. Although it is known that some people were caught during the process, many high level dealers have not been caught yet. Local government researcher Mosharraf Hossain Musa said that the future of the country's youth is becoming addicted and endangered by the way drugs are spreading in urban and rural areas. The members of the law enforcement agencies of the country have to become more tactful and carry out activities to eradicate them.
A police member, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the identified drug dealers no longer work to bring in drugs. They just sit at home and receive them. People from other areas are now being used to bring and deliver drugs with money. So that they are off the list of police suspects. In this way drugs worth lakhs of Tk are smuggled every day.
Ishwardi police officer in charge Asaduzzaman said that although drug dealers are active ahead of Eid, the police are on high alert. Drug dealers will run their activities. However, the police operation to catch them is continuing and it has been intensified now. The OC said that it was not possible for the police alone to nab drug dealers and eradicate drugs, therefore the cooperation of conscious citizens was required. We are working on initiatives to make them aware in various ways. There is a lot of response. If a social movement against drugs is formed in every neighborhood, this problem can be solved. He added that the police have declared zero tolerance for drug eradication. Recently, some top level drug dealers were arrested from Ishwardi. Honorable court has also sentenced them.
