Joint initiatives underway with neighbours to prevent drug smuggling: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday told the parliament that joint measures were being taken with neighbouring countries to stop smuggling of drugs as part of the ongoing anti-narcotics campaign.

"We are taking measures in consultation with neighbouring countries to locate points through which drugs enter Bangladesh," she said while replying to a supplementary question on drug smuggling during the premier's question-answer session.

PM Sheikh Hasina said her government was carrying out both "preventive and punitive" actions against narcotics and considered it to be a menace as dangerous as terrorism and militancy.

"We are giving equal importance to narcotics and terrorism and militancy, taking both preventive and punitive measures to root out the menaces from society," the premier said while responding to the question from treasury bench lawmaker Didarul Alam of Chattogram-4 constituency.

Referring to the stern anti-narcotics campaign of her government, she said "appropriate measures" were being taken against people involved in smuggling, selling and purchasing drugs.

Sheikh Hasina denied the proposal of introducing five percent quota for English medium students in BUET and Dhaka University while replying to another supplementary question from Chapainawabganj-3 constituency lawmaker Harunur Rashid of BNP. Harun made the proposal for stopping the brain-drain.

In response to which, the premier opined it is normal for students to go abroad for higher education.