Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs Minister Sa Ching Prue, who is in charge of Cox’s Bazar district, has said drugs are linked to crimes committed in the district and that the government is working to eliminate the drug menace.
He said drugs are not only a Cox’s Bazar issue but a nationwide concern. According to the minister, drug involvement is directly connected with almost all types of crimes in Cox’s Bazar and across the country. He said crime cannot be reduced unless the spread of drugs is contained.
He also stressed the importance of coordinated efforts and sincere cooperation among all concerned to keep the district’s overall law and order situation normal, peaceful and stable.
The minister made the remarks as the chief guest at a special meeting held at the conference room of the Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner’s Office on Thursday (September 24).
The meeting, organised by the district administration, reviewed law and order, drug and corruption control, good governance, transparency and accountability, as well as public welfare and development activities and overall coordination of government operations.
On drug control, Sa Ching Prue said peace, discipline and public safety could be further strengthened through close cooperation among the administration, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders.
He said eliminating drugs cannot be achieved by the administration alone and that public awareness and cooperation are also essential.
The meeting was chaired by Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner Md A. Mannan. MP Lutfur Rahman Kajal, reserved-seat MP Advocate Shamima Ara Swapna and Police Superintendent ANM Sajedur Rahman, along with senior officials from various law enforcement agencies and the administration, also spoke. Government officials, law enforcement personnel, public representatives and other members concerned were present.
After the meeting, Sa Ching Prue told journalists that drug control and prevention committees would be formed in neighbourhoods across the district to curb the spread of drugs from the grassroots level.
He also said steps would be taken to address manpower and vehicle shortages in law enforcement and other relevant government offices.
The minister’s remarks came as authorities continue anti-drug operations in Cox’s Bazar. On September 24, a separate joint operation in the district resulted in the arrest of a man with 14,000 yaba tablets, according to local reports.
