Stopping illicit drug trade gets top priority this year

Law enforcement and intelligence agencies have sketched a work plan for this year's law and order management giving top priority on tackling trading of illicit drugs and its widespread usages, said sources.
According to the sources, the illicit drugs drew the highest attention superseding militancy as the law enforcers and intelligence personnel held the illegal drugs responsible for most of the criminal activities.
The work plan was projected through a series of meetings during this year's police week programme where personnel from the field level to top ranks reviewed the existing crime trends and observed that most of the crimes happen due to reckless trading of illegal drugs and its widespread usage.
Apart from incidents of stalking and repression against women and children, militancy, extremism, terrorism, illegal arms trade, robbery, extortion, mugging, theft and activities of “malam” and “ogyan” parties were also given importance at the discussion of the police week.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Hassan Mahmood Khandker told The Daily Star, “As militancy have come very much under our control from the point of law and order situation, we have given top priority on fighting against illegal drugs as it is the main source of crimes deteriorating law and order situation.”
“Although, we did not prepare a complete list, we have decided to prioritise respectively to fight against illicit drugs, militancy, terrorism, extremism, illegal arms, robbery, mugging and activities of malam parties,” said the IGP adding, “Stalking and repression against women and children will also be given special consideration.”
The crime statistics of last 25 years say the number of cases in connection with illegal drugs always remains on top among all crimes.
Sources from police and the Directorate of Narcotic Control (DNC) said the introduction of new brands and items of illicit drugs started from 1985.
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) Legal and Media Wing Director Commander M Sohail said among the illicit drugs items, Yaba tablets, phensidyl and heroin respectively are the main threat to the law and order situation.
Sources said heroin was introduced first after 1985 and phensidyl in late nineties while Yaba tablet is the latest drug item, said DNC and police officials.
The law-enforcers and intelligence personnel also discussed the increasing trend of killing, robbery, mugging, abduction, extortion and stalking as well as their failure and lack to combat such crimes like illegal drug trading, militancy, extremism, extortion, abduction, mugging and repression against women and children.
The senior officials, however, held responsible the inadequate number of manpower, shortages of vehicles and other logistic supports for their failure.
Moreover, the law enforcement and intelligence agencies have also been directed to remain on high alert to deal with various sensational issues like the trial of war criminals so that those involved in the war crimes can not take attempt to deteriorate law and order situation, said the sources.