RAJSHAHI, Sept 28, 2020 (BSS) – Concerted efforts of all the government
and non-government entities concerned and the community has become crucial to
ensure a drug abuse free society to protect the young generation from the
devastating impacts of drug-addiction.
Side by side with the public and private bodies, all the local
government institutions should come forward and work together to attain the
cherished result in this regard as the drug-abusing situation is gradually
aggravating.
The observation came at an advocacy meeting with the local government
held at Hotel Warisan in Rajshahi city discussing and devising ways and means
on how to get rid of the problem.
Light House Consortium and Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) jointly organized
the meeting in association with Ashakta Punarbashan Sangstha (APOSH) and Nari
O Shishu Kalyan Society (NSKS) under a project titled “Drug Abuse Resistance
and Understanding- DARAU”.
The four development organizations are implementing the project being
implemented in eight wards of Rajshahi City Corporation and all nine upazilas
in Rajshahi district and all six upazilas and four municipalities in Natore
district aimed at combating drug abuse.
Counterpart International is extending technical support while USAID and
UKAID provide financial support to the project.
Around 50 persons consisting public representatives, members of the
civil society, professional leaders, journalists and development activists
joined the meeting.
Panel Mayor of Rajshahi City Corporation Shariful Islam Babu addressed
the meeting as chief guest, while Additional Director of the Department of
Narcotics Control (DNC) Zafrullah Kazal spoke as special guest with Chief
Executive of Light House Harun-Or-Rashid in the chair.
APOSH Executive Director Abul Bashar welcomed the participants, while
Iqbal Masud, Health Division Director of DAM, presented a keynote paper
illustrating the aims and objectives of the project along with its
implementation strategy.
Quoting the DNC report Iqbal Masud said there are 184 godfathers, 1,100
drug traffickers and 2,000 drug dealers in Rajshahi district. Around 80
percent of the drug addicts are of the 15-30 age groups.
There are also 50,000 drug users like yaba, phensidyl and cannabis in
addition to the estimated numbers of 1,569 intravenous drug users in
Rajshahi. The meeting was told that more than one lakh people both male and
female have come forward and are working together to fight against drug abuse
to protect the young generation from its devastating effects in Rajshahi and
Natore districts.
To this end, various motivational and awareness programmes are being
conducted for their capacity building besides boosting their level of
confidence with intervention of the project.
Harun-Or-Rashid told the meeting that cross-sections of people including
women, parents, school and out-of-school children, adolescents, youth,
transgender, public representatives and members of the civil society are
being engaged in the anti-drug abuse campaign.
He said the project is intended to benefit around four lakh people
either directly or indirectly.