Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Thursday claimed that yaba smuggling could not be curbed because of Myanmar not keeping its word. He told that several times the neighboring country promised to take necessary action for stopping yaba smuggling. However, they did not take any visible measure yet, the home minister added.
He made this remark while addressing a programme organised by the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital. According to him, the government is working on the issue to save the youth from the dangerous clutch of yaba.
He said, “We are working in three ways -- reducing demand, reducing supply and setting up rehabilitation centres -- to bring the drug addicts back to the normal life,”.
Most of the drug abusers in the country are between the ages 18 and 35 years, which means the young generation is at risk of drug abuse.
He opined that the most terrifying aspect of drug smuggling and transport is that a large number of women and children are being used for this purpose.
TV personality and Chairman of MANAS, Prof Dr Arup Ratan Chowdhury presented a welcome speech on the occasion where he cited statistics from different surveys conducted by various private organisations and media reports on the extent of drug abuse in the country.
At least 75 lakh people across the country are addicted to drugs in comparison to the 10 lakh back in 1990, Dr Arup Ratan said. If this trend continues, the number of drug abusers will shoot up to nearly one crore, he said. Of the 75 lakh drug abusers, at least 65 percent are 15 years of age, he added. In the programme, DNC highlighted the plight of drug abuse in the country especially among the young people.
