35 drug traders return to normal life in Meherpur

Thirty-five drug peddlers of bordering Gangni upazila of Meherpur district on Tuesday returned to normal life and promised that they would not get involved in drug peddling again.

The district police arranged a programme at Kazipur Union Parishad complex ground to welcome them. Alam Hossain, chairman of Kazipur Union Parishad, was in the chair and Hamidul Alam, superintendent of police (SP), Meherpur, was chief guest.

Officer-in-charge (OC) of Gangni Police Station, Akram Hossain; Krishak League Meherpur district unit president Wasim Sazzad Likhon; former chairman of Kazipur Union Parishad, Ahmed Sawpan, and local influential people were present at the programme.

The drug traders, who returned to normal life, are Mojnu Mia, Mojam Ali, Abdul Halim, Rubel Hossain, Nizam uddin, Milton Khondokar, Mojibar Rahman, Abdul Awal, Dablu Mia, Tutul Biswas, Abdul Wahab, Dabir Ali, Sariful Islam, Kalu Mia, Rafiqul Islam, Kobed Ali, Jalal Uddin, Shipon Ali, Sariful Biswas, Saju Mia, Mojnu Hossain, Jhontu Mia, Hatem Ali, Madar Ali and Khobir Uddin. 

According to police sources, people of many areas adjacent to the border in Gangni upazila are involved in dug smuggling and trading. Despite repeated attempts, police failed to control the crime.

On July 24, a police constable in the upazila died after he was dragged almost a kilometre by a microbus the suspected drug traders were traveling in.

The incident took place when the cops were putting up a road barricade. The microbus sped up when the driver saw the barrier and ploughed through the policemen.

“We are looking for ways to check the drug trading at the area,” the SP said.

The OC said he, with the help of four police outposts and public representatives of the area, recently urged the drug traders to return to normal life.

They also held meetings with local people, specially the relatives of the drug peddlers, and sent the message that police will help them if they choose to return to normal life.

“They responded positively at first and asked about the process,” said OC Akram. “We assured them we would resolve the cases against them in a way that they are not harassed,” the OC said.

But a condition was given that if anybody was found to be involved in drug peddling again he would not be eligible to get the opportunity. They agreed, the OC added.

According to police records, around 150 cases are pending in the police station against at least 50 alleged drug traders of the area.