Members of drug syndicates in some cases are more powerful than the government, speakers at a programme said yesterday.
People from all walks of life should come forward and work jointly to raise their voices against such syndicates to make the country a better place for the young generation, said Mohammad Iqbal, director general of the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC).
He was speaking at a discussion called “Anti-drug Awareness Campaign among Youth” organised by the DNC in collaboration with South Korea's Narcotic Division of Supreme Prosecutors’ Office (SPO), held in the city.
Addressing the programme chief guest CQK Mustaq Ahmed, senior secretary of Ministry of Home Affairs, said drugs are not consumed only in roadside slums but also in higher society. He said drug use had spread among the upper classes through private university students.
Mustaq said drug use is on the rise due to prices being lower than on international markets. He urged people from all walks of life to raise awareness and prevent drug abuse in Bangladesh.
The senior secretary said members of DNC and law enforcement agencies are working to end the menace.
Mojibur Rahman, a director of the DNC presided over the programme that was attended by special guests Cheol-Hee Lee, director of South Korea’s SPO along with consular and deputy chief of mission of Soth Korea's embassy, Kim Hyun Joo.
Representatives from several private organisations and NGOs attended and spoke at the event.
The Narcotics Division of SPO handed over two Hyundai microbuses, 30 laptops and multimedia projectors to the DNC to monitor drug related activities.
