Narayanganj safe haven for drugs

Narayanganj has turned into a transit point for supply of drugs, especially Yaba and Phensedyl, being smuggled from the Myanmar and India.
Sleuths at law enforcement agencies claimed that Narayanganj was being used as a transit point for drugs.
The Kanchapur area of the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway and Dhaka-Sylhet Highway are the main transit point for the supply of drugs, especially Yaba and Phensedyl.
Yaba traders transport the craze-inducing pills from Teknaf in Cox's Bazar to Narayanganj from where they are sent to the other parts of the country.
Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested four drug peddlers along with 47,320 pieces of yaba worth about Tk 1.5 crore from Bandor area of Narayanganj on March 22.  
A microbus used for yaba smuggling was also confiscated from Madanpur bus stand area on Dhaka-Chattogram Highway under Bandor Police Station early in the morning.  
The mafias involved have cross-border links and are widely exploiting Myanmar and India.
Members of RAB arrested a drug peddler with 447 bottles of phensedyl from Mouchak Bus stand area in Narayanganj on 22 February.
Our Narayanganj correspondent      visited several rehabilitation centres in different parts of Narayanganj. He found all rehabilitation centre full of drug-addicted people.
Mohammad Jayedul Alam, the SP of Narayanganj, told The Daily Observer that they had taken a zero tolerance policy for all kinds of narcotics.
To make local people aware of drugs, he said, they were carrying out public awareness programmes regularly.
Smuggling of phensedyl, cough syrup, from India to Bangladesh reached its peak during the nationwide lockdown through the network of pharmaceutical companies, agents and influential people.
Law enforcement agencies said drugs like phensedyl and yaba were being smuggled through the border hidden in seasonal fruits. Smugglers frequently change their tactics.
Though consignments of drugs are being seized by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), RAB and police, criminals who lead the smuggling gangs remain in the shadow.
Those who are being arrested are mostly mules who carry the contraband items in exchange for money, sources said.
The shipments of cannabis and phensedyl have increased recently. We are maintaining a tough stance against all drugs. I hope the shipment of these drugs will decrease soon," a high official of intelligence agency said.
In May 2018, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced a war on drugs after a reported rise in the sale and use of methamphetamine as well as other drugs.
Law enforcement agencies also launched a nationwide anti-drug drive in keeping with the Prime Minister's directive. RAB launched its drive on May 4 and the police on May 18.