‘How many packets, brother, how many packets will you need? One packet is one hundred taka. Good stuff. It is brought from India. Take it, it won't be a problem. Meanwhile, there are no police. Everything is managed.'
These words are often heard when walking along the railway line next to the fish market after the FDC gate in the evening. After the fish market, several men and women sit before getting off the railway line. They mainly sell Ganja, Yaba and various other drugs.
There is no way to understand that they are selling drugs. Someone is sitting with a baby in her lap and someone is talking in a huddle. Some of them attract the attention of pedestrians in various ways. Those who buy are buying drugs. While walking you may think it is a drug market. A little distance away a group of five or seven people is sitting with drugs.
It is learned that there are often quarrels between these groups. There are also clashes. But there is no way to stop the sale of drugs. These groups sell drugs under the names of several people including Ganja Hiru, Kali, Sakina.
This drug is not sold only in the corners of the fish market. The drug trade runs throughout the railway line. Several groups up to Tejgaon rail crossing are involved in this drug trade. The locals said that they manage the administration and run the business.
Sohan, a trader in Karwan Bazar, said that drug dealers cover the fish market in different ways every night while passing by the railway line. Sometimes you have to face embarrassing situations. This is where many people use drugs.
A local businessman, who did not want to be named, said that even though there were police vehicles in the ‘Kathpatti’ of Karwan Bazar, they did not climb on the railway line. Not even those who are selling drugs. But those who are buying for drugs are caught. Again, they were released in exchange for money. Despite several raids, the situation did not improve.
On May 4, 2018, the anti-drug campaign officially started. The anti-drug campaign started with the slogan 'Let's go to war, against drugs'. In this operation, more than five hundred people were killed in the cross fire of the police RAB. But the drug business did not stop. On the contrary, crime analysts say that the supply and demand of drugs is increasing day by day. The law enforcement agencies have not yet made any official announcement to end the operation which started in May 2018.
Tejgaon Division Deputy Commissioner of Police Md. Shahidullah said that both demand and supply are intertwined. If there is demand, there will be supply. Still we are trying. But the youth society needs to be aware. Then marijuana or drugs will come down.
Tejgaon DC hung up the phone after questioning that the business was run by managing the police. When he was called again later, he did not receive the call.
Khandaker Al Moin, commander of the RAB's legal and media wing, said the RAB had raided the Karwan Bazaar a month earlier in the evening. It was a special raid. During this time we arrested 30 people. Some of them sell for a small amount and some of them get huge amount of drugs. At that time the officials of the Narcotics Control Department were also with us. The Magistrate sent the arrested persons to jail with different term of sentences. Even then, we know that their harassment has increased again. Our operations are also conducted on the basis of specific allegations. We will conduct another raid very soon. Besides, we have patrols all the time.
Touhidul Haque, a social and crime expert, said drug dealers should not be arrested and brought under the law. They also need to be rehabilitated so that they no longer lean towards this business. Those who use drugs have to learn family values. Knowledge about this should be given from the family. Boys and girls should be monitored separately. Many may have become addicted during this time. The only reason for this is to be alone. Everyone in the family needs to make time for each other.