Yaba dealers have begged for a normal life and rehabilitation for them after surrendering to police in Cox’s Bazar.
Around 102 dealers surrendered at a ceremony named “Surrendering program of drug traders for returning to normal life,” held at Teknaf Pilot High School on Saturday.
The historic ceremony was attended by hundred of locals.
Addressing the event following his surrender, yaba dealer Enamul Haque Enam, alias Enam Member, urged the administration to form ward based local committees in collaboration with law enforcement agencies to tackle drug smugglers.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Siraj, a drug peddler who surrendered, said: “I want to urge my fellow narcotics dealers to leave the drug trade, take the opportunity provided by this ceremony, and surrender to the police.
“We will work with law enforcement to make Teknaf a yaba-free region.”
Siraj also urged the home minister and the administration to provide assistance to those who surrendered, to legally face past cases against them.
While speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, another yaba dealer, Moulvi Bashir Ahmed, said: “I became greedy for money and joined this business. I will never go back to this life again. I want to live a normal life with my family.”
Mohammad Siraj, a drug peddler, speaks following his surrender at the surrendering ceremony of drug dealers in Cox’s Bazar on Saturday; February 16, 2019 | Abdul Aziz/Dhaka Tribune Teknaf Municipality Councilor Nurul Bashar who was also a yaba dealer reiterated the same thing. He said: “There is no peace in this trade. You cannot stay with your family and there is always the risk of getting caught. That is why I came to surrender.”
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal was present at the ceremony as the chief guest, and received each of the drug dealers with flowers.
On Saturday, the drug dealers surrendered at the event, with 30 locally made firearms and 350,000 yaba pills, and 70 cartridges.
Cox's Bazar Superintendent of Police, ABM Masud Hossain, said: “Those who surrendered were taken to Cox’s Bazar Police Lines. They will be further interrogated and a case will be filed against each of them. Later they will be sent to the District Jail.
“Also, previous cases against the dealers will run their course. About them going back to lead normal lives, the government may appeal to the court on their behalf.”
The zero tolerance policy was adopted by the government against the narcotics trade in May of last year.
At that time, around 300 yaba dealers were killed in “gunfights” across the country with police, and 39 of them alone were killed in Teknaf .
The Home Ministry also released a list of names of the yaba dealers, with 1,151 names of yaba traders from Cox’s Bazar, and of them 73 are top level yaba trade influencers.
Apart from that, the list includes the name of ex MP, Abdur Rahman Bodi, and 26 members of his family as well.
Names of Awami League, BNP, and Jamaat leaders are also on the list.
