DNC takes 16 steps to check re-addiction
Staff Correspondent: The Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) has taken 16 steps for checking the number of re-addicted drug users as well as reducing drug addiction cases across the country.
The measures were recommended by a special committee under the supervision of the DNC recently. The committee observed that the number of re-addiction cases are rapidly increasing, destroying the family and social discipline and harmony.
Many drug users are taking treatment facilities from the drug rehabilitation centers, but they are again involved with the practicing just after releasing from the said treatment centers, the DNC report disclosed.
Even, the abusers are easily managing their required drug elements including hemp, phensidyl, heroine, pethidine and yaba for taking the advantage of the modern technological facilities.
According to the latest data of Mental Health Institute, some 36 lakhs people of the country are drug addicted and the numbers of total drug treatment centers are 356. Out of the total rehabilitation centers, only four centers are operating under the government patronization.
However, the DNC chief proposed 16 recommendations during a meeting with the joint delegation of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Ministry of Social Welfare and Department of Youth Development.
However, out of the 16 recommendations, the prominent recommendation is to arrange moderate employment opportunities for the jobless drug abusers. In this connection, the DNC will sign memorandum of understanding (MoU) with BGMEA and other private sector originations to generate employment opportunities.
The DNC also recommended for undertaking skill development programs for the drug abusers to facilitate self-employment. In this connection, the DNC suggested for arranging free training session by the initiative of Department of Social Services, Department of Youth Development, Ministry of Social Welfare, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Ministry of Youth and Sports and other government agencies.
The DNC also suggested for allocating a budgetary allocation for the rehabilitation centers so that they can conduct more promotional programs for the drug abusers in the country. Joint initiative of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Department of Youth Development are a must to facilitate such programs.
The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can play a vital role to provide ICT related training so that they can be able to foreign currencies through involving freelancing activities.
After receiving treatment from the rehabilitation centers, the DNC will have to enlist the recovery patients for ensuring right rehabilitation policy for the specific abusers. The recovery data is important for tracking the abusers easily.
For the free training, DNC is going to sign memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the related government agencies and private organizations.
In case of female abusers, the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs will have to implement same programs for reducing the abusing rate because women are now a days taking various kind of drugs across the country.
Apart from this, the Ministry of Education should have to include about the horrors of drug addiction as an educational curriculum from the primary level textbook and to make the awareness program which will broadcast in media.
Talking to the Daily Industry, Mohammad Ahsanul Jabbar, Director General (DG) of DNC said that the ruling government led by the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina vowed to build a drug-free Bangladesh.
“Our mission is to limit the use of drugs strictly to legitimate purposes and to prevent any kind of their diversions through an effective system of control, intervention, monitoring, and inspection”, he added.
The problem of abuse and illicit trafficking of drugs are gradually increasing, posing serious threat for ensuring social discipline, he said adding that the underlying curses of drugs are disruption of the fabric of the whole society, deterioration of the law and order situation and threat to national economy, security and public health. Considering this, the DNC plans to rehabilitate the drug abusers for maintaining social harmony.
