<i>Drug peddling on the rise </i>

Sale of drugs has increased in the port city in an alarming rate, much to the concern of common people in general and guardians in particular.
Despite regular raids and recovery of banned drugs and arrest of drug peddlers by the law enforcement agencies like police, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and narcotics department, there is hardly any improvement noticed so far in containing the menace. As such, different syndicates of drug peddlers have become so uncontrollable that they spread easily their network all over the city.
“The availability of drugs like Yaba, heroin, opium, pathedin, RS (rectified spirit), phensidyl and some injections is attracting a large number of youths to the path of destruction while the departments concerned play a frustrating role in checking or stopping the illegal trade,” said Dr Sarfaraj Khan Chowdhury, former chief health officer of Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) who now works for the rehabilitation of drug addicts.
Citing his experience, Dr Sarfaraj said the fact what surprises him most these days is that he has encountered increasing number of people with history of regular and irregular drug addiction and other drug-related psycho-physio diseases.
Sources said the syndicates have managed some dishonest policemen in all the police stations of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) and the GRP police to continue their trade without major problem.
They said the slum named Barisal Colony in Madarbari area in the port city near Chittagong Railway Station was a safe haven for the criminals especially the drug dealers. After demolition of the slum two years ago, the criminals spread their jaws to other available nook and corner of the city.
The spots in the city where activities of the syndicates and drug dealings have now taken an open turn are: Railway Station and its adjoining areas, Kadamtali, BRTC Bus Station, East and West Madarbari, Sadarghat, Ice Factory Road, Kazir Dewri, Batteri Golli, Enayet Bazar, Halishahar Chhotopole, Sholohshar Gate No-2 area, Nasirabad Al Falah Lane, Mohammadpur, Muradpur, FIDC Road in Kalurghat, Bohaddarhat, Badurtala and Urdu Lane in Chawk Bazar.
Sources said one Salamat alias Saleh Ahmed and his close aide Nasir used to control the drug dealing in the Railway Station area. Following their arrest few months ago, an informer of railway police is now taking of the business there. A gang of 30 to 40 criminals led by Rubel, Selim, Faruk and Laden is helping the informer in the trade of yaba while Liton, Khokan and Monir are supervising the heroin business.
The syndicate of Swapan and Mizan controls the Kadamtali and BRTC Bus Station area while Tajuddin, Alauddin, Renu Begum, Saiful, Imu alias Imunya, Sekander, Abu and Nasir take care of Kazir Dewri and Battery Golli areas. The syndicate of Monjur and Lucky Begum controls the Enayet Bazar spot from their den inside a foam market there. Parvin, sister of notorious drug dealer Karim alias Dile Karim, runs the Halishahar spot.
Wahidul Hoque, assistant commissioner (detective branch) of the CMP, said their raids against drug dealers is a routine programme and they netted successfully many syndicates involved in the business in recent time.
He said lack of proper information is a problem in conducting successful raid sometime.
An official of the narcotics department seeking anonymity said shortage of manpower stand in the way of containing the spread or dealing of drug in the city.
The two officials, however, denied any link with the drug dealing syndicates.