Saiful Islam (pseudonym) of Lalbagh area of Old Dhaka in the capital. Saiful Islam, the only child of parents, has just left adolescence and entered youth. During this time, study and enjoy life with friends. But Saiful is not in a normal life like the other ten boys. Instead, lost in the darkness of drugs at the hands of an unknown rickshaw puller, he spends his time in a drug treatment center, fighting to return to normal life.
Saiful became friends with an unknown rickshaw puller on the street while studying in class VII. The man disguised as a rickshaw puller was a drug dealer. On his persuasion, schoolboy Saiful got involved in taking drugs and at one point selling drugs. From ganja-yaba to cocaine, the country's unconventional drug, he became addicted. As a result, he had to drop out of studies in the grip of drugs. Even though the family was admitted to a drug treatment center to recover, they ran away from the drug treatment center several times. After several drug treatment centers, Saiful is now at the Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Center run by the Ahsania Mission in Gazipur.
On May 9, Saiful talked to this reporter at Ahsania Mission's drug rehabilitation center in Gazipur. According to him, father is a plastic trader. He used to study in a school in Lalbagh area. But Saiful fell into a storm after seventh grade due to drugs. He then spent his life in drug addiction and treatment centers.
Saiful told Barta24.com about getting involved in drug addiction; I used to study in a school in Lalbagh. My test results were always good. I used to smoke with my friends since primary school. Suddenly one day on the way home from school a rickshaw driver called. As he approached, he developed friendship in various ways. Then he offered me to consume ganja. My head spun with one pull. I vomited a lot on the road that day. Later that rickshaw puller took me home. Then I would go to that rickshaw puller myself. I used to take money from home and use ganja regularly.
But suddenly one day when I wanted drugs because I didn't have money, the rickshaw driver offered to sell me drugs. Then I used to sell the rickshaw driver's yaba to raise money. Thus slowly I started consuming yaba. I started stealing at home to get drug money. If I don't get money, I start stealing things. Realizing this, my family conducted a dope test. After getting evidence of drug addiction, he was admitted to a drug treatment center run by a government institution in the Tejgaon area. Even after 28 days in two treatment centers, I could not come back from drugs.
He was admitted to a rehab center to recover from yaba and marijuana use. Referring to drugs like heroin and cocaine instead of getting well, Saiful also said that during treatment at the drug treatment center in Tejgaon, he met a girl who was admitted to the women's wing of the center. I started using heroin after meeting that girl from Mohammadpur area. Through that girl we used to consume with the money we got from selling heroin with her. Then that girl made me use cocaine. The price of one gram of cocaine is Tk. five thousand. I used to steal money from home and use cocaine. I even sold my mother's washing machine without getting money. Later the family was admitted to a healing center in the Rayerbazar area. From there I beat the people of the center and ran away.
Saiful could not get well even after receiving treatment four times in three institutions. Even while seeking treatment at two drug treatment centers, he along with other inmates beat up the staff of the treatment centers and escaped.
For the last few months, Saiful has been receiving treatment to get back on the path of life without drugs at the Gazipur center run by Ahsania Mission. Now his mistake broke. Saiful, lost in the darkness at the beginning of his life, wants to return to normal life with treatment. This 18-year-old young man wants to fulfill his parents' dreams by studying again.
It is reported that Ahsania Mission is running treatment centers to free women and men from drugs in three districts of the country, including the capital. In 2004, Gazipur district Ghazaria para area provided drug addiction treatment services in a natural and beautiful environment. There are healing centers in Jashore in 2014, Munshiganj in 2021 and Shyamoli area of the capital. These healing centers have become beacons of light to many lives destroyed by drugs.
Talking to the concerned people, it is known that 2789 people have taken services in drug treatment centers run by Ahsania Mission since 2004. Among 2789 people receiving treatment, 2142 people have drug addiction problems and 647 people have mental problems. Out of which the recovery rate so far is about 75 percent.
Iqbal Masud, Director of Dhaka Ahsania Mission Health and Wash Sector, said, we serve three types of patients. Such as drug addiction, behavioral and emotional problems. Services are provided under a course of 6 months. Those who have undergone full treatment can get 12 days of free accommodation, food and counseling services if there is any problem later.
He also said that medical services are provided in modern and scientific ways from this center in Gazipur. Treatment takes place in several stages. My centers provide general health care through specialist doctors, regular check-ups, necessary medical care and examination of patients for long-term diseases. Also regular counseling is done through a specialist psychiatrist.