Pubdate: Thu, 03 Jan 2002 Source: The Daily Star (Bangladesh) Section: Regional News Copyright: Daily Star 2002 website:http://www.dailystarnews.com contact: 19 Karwan Bazar, Dhaka-1215, Bangladesh UNABATED DRUG TRADE IN MANIKGANJ, JAMALPUR Unabated Drug Trade Is Going On In Manikganj And Jamalpur UNB from Manikganj reports: Drug trading is going on unabated in different places of Manikganj due to indifferences of the Narcotics Control Department and law enforcing agencies. Locals said different types of "deadly" drugs are being sold almost openly at around two thousand points of Manikganj. According to different sources, local agents of international mafia gang smuggled drugs into the country from different drug producing countries like India, Pakistan, Thailand, Myanmar and the Philippine. Besides, hemp and alcohol are also being produced at some points of Manikganj. Middle-aged women and young boys are used in the smuggling of the drugs. It is also alleged that smugglers are buying and selling hemp, phensidyl, heroin and other contraband items with the help of police. They have managed the law enforcers by giving them a fixed amount of money regularly. Consequently the number of drug addicts are increasing day by day creating concern among the guardians and peace loving people. Another report from Jamalpur says: The number of drug addicts has increased alarmingly in Jamalpur town causing concern among the peace loving people. Locals alleged that rectified spirit, phensidyl, foreign liquor, opium, hemp are being sold almost openly in different Homeo pharmacies, medicine and grocery shops of the town and the youths have become addicted due to the easy availability of the drugs. The government is also being deprived of huge amount of tax due to illegal trading of drugs. A source said illegal trading of drugs is going on in some Homeo pharmacies and betel-leaf shops since long. These shops are kept open in the day just to show the people and turned into liquor shops after the sundown. Rectified spirit is also sold in these liquor shops at a very cheap price leading the youths to the path of ruination. It is alleged that the officials of Narcotics Control Department are quite reluctant to take action against the drug traders as they also get "share" from the traders on monthly basis. Local leaders urged the district administration to look into the matter and take stringent action in this regard without further delay. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth