Drug addiction raises alarm in Bogra town

At least 57 drug addicts died in one area in the town in last three years due to lack of treatment.
This was revealed by Programme for Eco-Social Development (PESD), a local non-governmental organization (NGO) who conducted a survey on drug addicts here recently.
About 100 persons including children of eight years old have become addicted to heroin, hemp and other drugs in the area, the report said further.
About 37people including women are involved in drug trade in Katnapara and its adjacent areas, the report said..
At least 50 drug addicts in the area prayed to the NGO authorities to ensure their treatment.
Mafuz Ara Miva, Executive Director, PESD told that she had been working in the area to improve the socio-economic condition of local people. ' I have failed to change the habit of drugs abusers in the locality due to non-cooperation of local administration, she said. In this connection she showed several correspondence with local administration and the Department of Narcotics control to combat the social ill.
She told that Saddam,8, is habituated with hemp along with other boys of almost the same age. Biplob and Babu, both six years old are also involved with drug business, according to the survey report of PESD.
Heroin addict Badsha, 30, and his brother Thanda, 40, died a few years ago for want of proper treatment, Miva said. Remaining two brothers Shipon and Khakon are still taking heroin regularly with their brother Bappi, she said.
Nasimon Banu of the same area lost her heroin addict son Rahim one and a half months ago for lake of treatment. She handed over her son Rahim to police to change his habit but in vain.
Local people didn't participate in the namaz-e-janaja after the death of heroin addict Majnu about two years ago.
Another Hiru told that he had handed over his son Montu, 37, to police to change his habit but failed. 'Now my son is lying on death bed, Hiru said. He also blamed to the local administration for their negligence.
However, Mohammed Rafiquil Islam, Assistant Director (AD), the Department of Narcotics Control here expressed his ignorance saying he has no such report of death of addicts and open drug business in Katnarpara and other parts of Bogra town. He further informed that he had been working in Bogra for about three years but no body of the locality informed him about drug addiction and its business.