We are alarmed by the findings of a recent study of the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) that said that 56 percent of the street children in the country are addicted to different kinds of drugs, while 21 percent of them are being used as carriers of drugs. The reason for the situation has also been identified – easy availability of drugs – with 53 percent of the children surveyed saying they can buy drugs directly from the traffickers. The study also identified the districts where the number of vulnerable children is higher.

Although there are no reliable current figures, the number of street children in the country stood at 1.5 million in 2015, as per Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS). These children are deprived of their basic rights – right to food, clothing, home, education, and healthcare. Although there are some programmes taken up by government and non-government organisations to rehabilitate them and provide them with a better life experience, these efforts are nowhere near enough for the vast number of children requiring support.

Living as they do – on the streets, with no support or protection and deprived of all their rights – these children often resort to drugs to feel good about themselves. According to the DNC study, 14 percent of street children said they have been taking drugs since they were 10 years old, which is horrifying. Experts say, young addicts often suffer from various mental health problems. The DNC study has also found that the children often lack the ability to control their emotions, with 64 percent of them identified as being unable to manage themselves. Taking advantage of their vulnerability, drug traffickers sell cheap drugs to them and also use them as carriers. This is a heinous crime. Law enforcement officials must conduct regular drives to catch such criminals who play with children's lives, and legal action needs to be taken to punish them.

Equally importantly, to rehabilitate this large number of street children who remain vulnerable to all kinds of abuse, not just of drugs, the government should create a thorough database with updated information and take measures to ensure their wellbeing. Their education should be its number one priority. The children also need proper counselling to bounce back in life. There are many private organisations in the country who have been working to ensure their rights. If the government and these organisations work collaboratively, the situation can definitely improve for our street children, and they can be saved from the scourge of drug abuse.