Home Affairs Advisor Lieutenant General Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (retd.) said that the main regulator of the development of any country is the huge working youth force. Only the educated and skilled youth force in modern and technological education can take the country to the peak of development. Whenever discrimination, deprivation, injustice and a crisis of values have arisen in the context of Bangladesh, the youth society has resisted it through determination and unity. The mass protest of students, youth and the public in July is the victory of the youth society and youth. To become a developed nation, the youth society must be kept drug-free.
The advisor said these things in his speech as the chief guest at a discussion meeting organized by the Narcotics Control Department to celebrate the “International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2025” at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital on Thursday (June 26, 2025) morning.
The program was chaired by Director General of the Narcotics Control Department Md. Hasan Maruf and was addressed as special guests by Special Assistant to the Principal Advisor on Home Affairs Md. Khoda Bakhas Chowdhury and Senior Secretary of the Home Ministry Nasimul Gani.
The advisor said, “A terrible issue in drug smuggling in our country is that women, children and adolescents are being used for this heinous activity. As a result, their criminality is increasing, and a significant part of them are becoming drug addicts. The Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and the Ministry of Social Welfare are working together to solve this problem.” He said, “With the development of technology, the emergence of new synthetic and semi-synthetic drugs or New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) in different countries of the world has intensified the problem of drug abuse and illegal trafficking. We have to develop new strategies to deal with these new drugs.” In order to ensure legal measures against these narcotics, necessary measures have been taken to include them in the schedule of the law and increase strategic surveillance.
Lieutenant General Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (Retd.) said that with the sincere goodwill of the current government, the ‘Narcotics Control Department (Officers-Employees) Weapons Collection and Use Policy-2024’ has already been formulated. The training of the 1st batch of officers and employees of the department in handling weapons has been completed. As a result, in addition to reducing operational risks, the department will also be more successful in conducting anti-narcotics operations. He said that recently, the ‘Construction of seven divisional drug addiction treatment centers’ project at a cost of Tk 1,400 crore in seven divisional cities has been approved by the ECNEC. Moreover, the government also has plans to build separate prisons at the divisional level for drug addicts.
The advisor further said that drug abuse and illegal trafficking is a multidimensional problem that cannot be solved by law enforcement alone. Along with law enforcement, people from all walks of life should be involved in the anti-drug social movement. Anti-drug propaganda activities should be further strengthened to reduce the demand for drugs.
Special Assistant to the Chief Advisor Md. Khoda Bakhas Chowdhury said that only those whose family members are addicted to drugs can understand its depth, horror and harmful aspects. He said that the aspect of social prevention regarding drugs has decreased recently. By increasing it, the concerned parties should take more effective initiatives to protect humanity from the family, individual and state consequences of drugs.
Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Nasimul Gani said that drugs are not produced in Bangladesh. They are entering our country through smuggling from neighboring countries and are destroying the youth society. Therefore, the supply of drugs must be stopped. And to make this successful, law enforcement agencies in our border districts must be more active and public involvement must be increased.
Documentaries on drug abuse and illegal trafficking activities were screened at the event.
On the occasion of the “International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2025”, the Home Affairs Advisor distributed prizes among the winning students of the essay and painting competition, representatives of the three best private drug addiction treatment centers, and the two best institutions in recognition of their unique contribution to anti-drug propaganda, motivation and research. He also unveiled the souvenir and the ‘Annual Drug Report’ published on the occasion of the day.
Earlier, the Advisor officially inaugurated the day-long program on the occasion of the “International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2025” by releasing balloons and visiting the anti-drug stalls set up with the participation of various private drug addiction treatment centers.
