A befitting law will be formed soon to control drug use and no one involved with drug smuggling will be spared, State Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said yesterday.
Regardless of which political party the drug traders may have connections with, each of them must be punished, the state minister said while addressing an event on the occasion of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking yesterday at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital.
The Department of Narcotics Control organised the event, and this year’s theme was “Let’s develop our lives, our communities, our identities without drugs.” Other attendees included Department of Narcotics Control Director General Bazlur Rahman who chaired the event, Parliamentary Standing Committee Member Dipu Munshi and Home Ministry’s Senior Secretary Mozammel Haque Khan.
Speaking at the event as chief guest, Asaduzzaman said the current system was in place to ensure punishment of drug traders through executive magistrate of mobile courts.
But the judicial process to punish the offenders takes too long time under the existing drug control law, due to which the offenders some times get away with their crimes, he said when speaking about the necessity of forming a more effective law.
The government has adopted a zero tolerance policy to control drug smuggling and everyone involved in it, and the prime minister has also taken stern action about it, he added.
“We do not produce drugs. They enter our country from the nearby countries. Some greedy people are involved in drug smuggling, but if we work hard, it is possible to stop it.
“We are holding talks with our neighbouring countries to resolve this issue,” he said.
He further said to not alienate drug users from families and society. “The drug users are our children. It is our responsibility to bring them back to regular life. If we all say no to drug as responsible citizens, it is possible to eliminate it.”
The event finished with the state minister distributing prizes to the winners of drawing and essay writing competitions on anti-drug activities.
Earlier, a rally was held in front of National Press Club around 8am to observe the day.
