Govt. would rehabilitate drug dealer: HPM Sheikh Hasina

Prime Minister and Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina said the government would rehabilitate the drug dealers on their surrenders.

“Many drug peddlers are surrendering due to (nationwide) massive awareness campaign … Financial assistance will be given to them for their rehabilitation,” she said while replying to a supplementary from opposition lawmaker Dr. Rustom Ali Farazi.

The premier requested all including parents to join hand in the campaign to make people aware about the adverse impact of the drug abuse, saying, “The parents should remain alert against those with whom their children are mixing.”

Sheikh Hasina called upon the lawmakers to take necessary initiatives at their respective constituencies as none can be drug addicted.

She stressed the need for creating a social movement against drugs likewise militancy to save the nation from the curse of drugs.

Referring to the Narcotics Control Act, 2018, she said that there is a provision of giving highest punishment to those, who are involved in trading and smuggling of drugs.

The premier has reiterated her government’s firm determination to pursue the ‘zero tolerance policy’ against illegal drugs to free the young generation from deadly aggression of drug abuse.

Replying to a scripted question from the treasury bench Mahfuzur Rahman from Chittagong-3 constituency in the Jatiya Sangsad, she also said, “Various programmes have been taken under a pragmatic plan to free the society from (illegal) drugs.”

Sheikh Hasina, also President of the Awami League, said that they have already taken various measures and planned to take more initiatives to effectively fight the drug menace.

On measures already taken to this end, she said, “The regular drive to recover and prevent drugs is going on and the ongoing drive of the police will be continued in the future alongside with pursuing the ‘zero tolerance policy’ against (illegal) drugs.”

Law enforcing agencies have filed 1,19,878 cases so far and arrested 1,61,323 accused in the cases in 2018, she said adding that as part of the campaign to create awareness about the adverse impact of the drugs, a total of 35,85,796 leaflets, 1,83,148 stickers, 10,17,171 posters, 1,2,802 bulletin have so far been distributed and 64,436 anti-drug meetings have been held.

Cases are now being filed by the mobile courts alongside with filing the regular cases, she also said.

The numbers of drug rehabilitation centres have been increased to 276 instead of 64 while as part of the measures to upgrade the centres from 50 beds to 250, and the centres have already been developed to 100 beds in this respect.

Three divisional drug rehabilitation centres have been made 25 beds instead of 5 as part of the plan of developing those to 200 beds, she continued.

Regarding future plan to fight drugs, Sheikh Hasina, said, “Necessary measures have already been completed to set up anti-drug special zone at Teknaf. Four testing laboratories for Narcotics Control Department would also be set up at four divisional cities.”

Expansion and modernization of the 250-bed Dhaka Central Rehabilitation Centre having facilities of training for physicians and nurses will be made, she informed.

An international standard training academy for Narcotics Control Department will also be set up to create specialized manpower for the organization, she also said.

The government will set up 200-bed drug rehabilitation centres at seven divisional cities for treatment of drug addicts while 100-bed rehabilitation centres will be set up at greater districts and drug prone districts while 50 beds rehabilitation centres will be built in the remaining districts.

Financial assistance will be given to private rehabilitation centres, she added.