Govt plans tougher law for narcotics: Home minister

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal today told parliament that the government has drafted a new law to ensure capital punishment to masterminds, godfather and patrons of illegal drug trading.

In a bid to take tougher actions against patrons and god fathers of illegal drugs and drug syndicate, the government has drafted Narcotics Control Act 2018 keeping the provision of death penalty against them, Kamal said.

On the anti-narcotics drive, he said a total of 35,112 accused drug trader were arrested from January to March in 2018 in connection with 27, 340 cases.

Over 3.28 crore pieces of yaba were recovered during the time, said the minister.

In reply to lawmakers’ queries, the home minister also informed the House that there is no visible progress to stop yaba smuggling in Bangladesh from Myanmar due to lack of good intention of Myanmar authorities.  

On bringing god fathers of drug peddling to book, Kamal said in the existing Narcotics Control Act 1990, there is a provision of capital punishment for drug criminals. But according to the law, there is no option of taking actions against anyone if any drug item is not found in his/her possession. That’s why masterminds of drug peddling escape easily. 

Besides, the home minister also said officials of the respective directorate who investigates money laundering related crimes will be empowered to bring patrons and god fathers of drugs to book.

Over the ongoing drive against the drug, the minister said the drive is going on according to the list of drug traders to bring drug patrons and drug godfathers under the purview of the law.

In response to another query, Kamal informed the House that Bangladesh and India so far held five director general-level meetings to stop illegal transport of drugs from Indian to Bangladesh which were effective.

On stopping yaba smuggling from Myanmar, the minister said Bangladesh and Myanmar so far held three bilateral meetings on preventing yaba smuggling.

“In every meeting, we have exchanged intelligence report on yaba manufacturing factories in Myanmar border requesting them to stop production and supply of yaba in Bangladesh,” Kamal said.

“But there is no visible progress in this regard due to lack of good intention of Myanmar authorities,” he said.