No separate tribunal for trying drug offences

The "Narcotics Control (Amendment) Bill, 2020" was passed in parliament yesterday, dropping the provision of setting up separate narcotics control tribunals to pave the way for competent courts to try the narcotics-related crimes.

Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq placed the bill on behalf of Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan as he was not present in the House yesterday.

The bill was later passed by voice vote.

Several opposition lawmakers of BNP and Jatiya Party placed proposals to send the bill to the select committee for eliciting public opinion. But the proposals were rejected by voice vote.

The bill was brought to have a provision of holding trial of narcotics-related cases in courts having the jurisdiction for quick disposal of such cases and easing the huge backlog of drug-related cases.

It was supposed to form necessary number of narcotics control tribunals in line with article 44 of the existing Narcotics Control Act-2018.

But the Law and Justice Division cannot set up any narcotics control tribunal yet or cannot entrust the tribunal's responsibility with any additional district judge or sessions judge for administrative reasons.

So, complexities have been created in disposal of cases filed under the Narcotics Control Act-2018 since it has become effective, and the number of pending cases filed under this law keeps growing day by day.

According to article 44 of the proposed law, the courts with jurisdiction can try narcotics-related cases as per the gravity of crimes and a sessions judge concerned or a metropolitan sessions judge concerned can fix one or more courts with the jurisdiction to try narcotics-related crimes in their respective areas.

In the bill, changes have been brought in 22 articles of the existing act.