The drug business in Comilla is worth Tk200 crore a month making the district a prominent hub of the illegal activity. Various drugs are exported to eight districts of the country from Comilla everyday.
Every month, law enforcing agencies confiscate drugs worth Tk5 crore, which is claimed to be only one fortieth of the huge amount of drug smuggled in through the border.
This makes the monthly business a staggering Tk200 crore one. It is alleged that politicians, law enforcers and some journalists are involved with the business.
Sources from the district law and order committee said, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) confiscated drugs worth Tk3 crore 61 lac 27 thousand and 571 in September while RAB seized drugs worth Tk23 lac 54 thousand 760, Police Tk62 lac 56 thousand 300, narcotics control department Tk9 lac 43 thousand 500 and forest department seized drugs worth Tk2 lac 6 thousand 284.
BGB sources said, there are 15 border posts in the 101 kilometre border area spanning over the five districts of Comilla. Most of the drugs are smuggled through various areas of Brahmanpara, Burichang, Adarsha Shahar, and Chouddogram. 40 percent of these drugs are exported to Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Feni, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, Brahmanbaria and Chandpur. The rest 60 percent is sold in retail in various areas of the district using women and children.
Such widespread availability of drug has been destroying the social fabric in Comilla. It has also contributed to increasing violence, crimes and family problems.
Earlier in September, a father sold his child for Tk20 thousand just to buy drugs. An addict killed his child after an altercation with wife over drug use. On October 16, siblings could not but kill their drug addict younger brother and dumped him in Gomti River to get relief from his torture. Besides, a number of complaints and cases of mugging, blackmailing, kidnapping and killing are being filed with Comilla’s police stations everyday.
Chairman of Janmo Drug Rehabilitation Centre Shoeb Ahmed Jewel said, there had been at least 500 addicts getting treatment at five rehabs of the district. More than 10 thousand people received treatment in the last 10 years in these cetres.
Despite such destructive and widespread use of drugs, there has been no instance of any drug lord getting arrested in Comilla. Sometimes when the cohorts are arrested, they get out with the support of politicians and law enforcers.
Senior Police Super of Comilla Sadar Circle Jahangir Alam said: “Drug paddlers are being arrested on a daily basis. Even cases are filed against them. But they get out very easily with the help of superiors.”
Commander of BGB-10 Lieutenant Colonel Zakir Hossain said, they had taken initiative to raise awareness among the mass against drugs. To rein in drug business, demand for it also must be curbed.
Deputy Commissioner of Comilla Hasanuzzaman Kollol said: “As part of our anti-drug campaign, we have introduced a football tournament titled ‘Football Against Drug’. Moreover, the number of mobile courts will also be increased.”
