Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday called for greater emphasis on sports, cultural activities, and innovation competitions across the country to protect young people from the growing threat of drug abuse, saying alternative approaches are needed to address the problem.
Speaking at an exchange of views with journalists at the China Friendship International Conference Center in Agargaon, Dhaka, he said the country's limited resources make it impossible to rely solely on arrests, treatment, and counseling to combat drug addiction.
“One of the major problems facing our younger generation today is drugs. Although the problem exists worldwide, its prevalence here is alarming,” he said.
“In this situation, how many people can we arrest, treat, or counsel? We have limitations in terms of capacity and resources. Therefore, we must find alternative ways to solve this problem,” he added.
The prime minister said young people aged 15 to 25 possess immense physical and mental energy that should be directed toward positive and productive activities, identifying sports and culture as two of the most effective avenues.
He also pointed to a shortage of playgrounds across the country, including in Dhaka.
Highlighting government initiatives, Tarique Rahman said the government has launched the “Notun Kuri” sports and cultural competition. He noted that nearly 2.2 million boys and girls from across the country participated in a recently concluded education divisional event.
“Unfortunately, such a large event did not receive the attention it deserved from the country's media,” he said.
The prime minister also called for innovation fairs and science fairs at district and divisional levels to help develop young people's talents in science and technology.
He questioned why cultural and debate competitions in educational institutions are largely limited to national observances such as December 16 and February 21, stressing that such activities should continue throughout the year to keep youth engaged in constructive pursuits.
Tarique also emphasized the need to address moral decline and restore social values among young people.
Referring to incidents in which people record acts of cruelty on mobile phones instead of intervening, he said such behavior reflects an unhealthy mindset. He added that social and religious values should be promoted from the school level and said the Ministry of Information has been directed to conduct awareness campaigns on the issue.
During the event, the prime minister also answered questions on economic reforms, strengthening the rural economy, and the government's proposed Family Card and Farmers Card programs. Senior government officials, including the information minister, and journalists attended the meeting.