The new government is going to go tough on drug trade and has directed the law enforcement agencies to take all-out actions against the dealers.
Awami League in its election manifesto had pledged zero-tolerance against militancy, corruption and contraband drugs.
Two persons were killed in what the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) called a gunfight in Damdamia in Teknaf of Cox's Bazar early Tuesday. The law enforcers claimed that the deceased, Sabbir Hossain, 25, from Chitalmari in Bagerhat and Hafizur Rahman, 35, from Savar in Dhaka were drug traders.
Several senior leaders of the ruling Awami League are saying that the government is determined to curb
drug trade and its abuse in the country.
The ruling party has to root out this menace in order to cleanse the party image sources said. The party's image will be damaged if any leader or activist is found involved in drug dealings.
They are now saying that no one, not even members of Awami League will get away from law enforcement agencies this time.
At least 405 alleged drug peddlers have been killed 1.5 lakh people arrested and 1 lakh cases filed since law enforcers started a nationwide anti-drug crackdown in May last year.
Some 150,000 drug suspects have been arrested since law enforcement agencies sharply stepped up their anti-narcotics operations on May 14, in a campaign aimed largely at stemming the flow of Yaba tablets, a methamphetamine manufactured and smuggled in the country from neighbouring Myanmar, authorities said.
Law enforcing agencies, including police, RAB, and BGB, started a nationwide anti-drug crackdown in May. Of them police performed better than the others.
According to enforcing agencies data said around 1.5 lakh drug addicts and drug traders have been arrested across the country by this time. A total of 1 lakh cases have been filed against them, source said.
Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) sources told the daily Observer that they were meeting about Awami League a zero-tolerance policy against drugs in the election manifesto to protect the next generation from the threat.
A draft law giving a maximum of death penalty to Yaba offenders has been approved in principle by the Cabinet last year. Narcotics Control Act was formulated in 1990 and it was being updated after 28 years in line with UN conventions on drug trafficking and narcotics control, of which Bangladesh is a signatory.
A new narcotics law proposes harsh penalties for producing, carrying, trading or storing the contraband drugs.
If a person carries, trades, stores, or processes Yaba weighing less than five grams, he or she could be sentenced to five years in jail and fined, according to the new law.
About 50 of the methamphetamine pills weigh five grams, according to officials of the DNC.
