Joint initiatives underway with neighbours to prevent drug smuggling: PM
Prime Minister and Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday told Parliament that joint measures were being crazy neighbouring countries to prevent smuggling of medicine into the country as a part of the continued anti-narcotics campaign.
“We are taking measures in consultation with neighbouring countries to seek out out the points through which drugs enter into Bangladesh,” she said while replying to a supplementary question on drug smuggling during the premier’s question-answer session.
Responding to the question from treasury bench lawmaker Didarul Alam of Chattogram-4 constituency, Sheikh Hasina said her government was completing both “preventive and punitive” actions against narcotics, considering it as a menace as dangerous as terrorism and militancy.
“We are giving equal importance to narcotics and terrorism and militancy, taking both preventive and punitive measures to uproot the menaces from society,” the premier said.
In a clear regard to the strict anti-narcotics campaign she said “appropriate measures” were being taken against people involved in smuggling, selling and buying drugs alongside creating enhanced social awareness against substance abuse .
The premier said within the recent past the substance abuse appeared as an excellent concern while the continued security crackdown largely contained the trend.
The premier called upon all particularly the lawmakers alongside parents, guardians and teachers to stay children around them in order that they couldn't be exposed to the clutches of drug because it cripple them both physically and mentally and simultaneously affect their families.
She also asked the guardians and fogeys to remain alert about the movements of their children and know whom they were mixing with.
Sheikh Hasina also stressed the necessity for engaging the youths and youngsters in sports and cultural activities as a part of the government’s move to stay them (young generation) faraway from drugs, terrorism and militancy.
Highlighting her government’s measures to stay meritorious students faraway from militancy while replying to a starred question from the treasury bench lawmaker Didarul Alam, the premier said initiatives are taken to infuse religious value, morality and honesty in students alongside inspiring them to interact themselves in exercise of science and culture.
She continued that her government has formed a three-member monitoring committee with the UGC (University Grant Commission) Chairman because the head, to make sure that no university is engaged in militant activities. Besides, anti-militant festoons and banners are being distributed altogether educational institutions to make sure spontaneous participation of the scholars in anti-militant activities.
The premier said that they need already instructed the UGC to require measures in installing fulltime digital security system at classrooms, dormitories and campuses of the general public universities to watch the movement of the scholars .
She also said that the capacity of enforcement agencies are enhanced in terms of containing militancy by imparting them appropriate training alongside introducing the emergency service “999” as they (law enforcers) are now getting instant information concerning militancy through the service.
The premier said students, who remain absent from their educational institutions for quite 10 days with none valid reason are now being identified and actions are being taken for suspicious movements.
Responding to a different supplementary question from Syed Najibul Basher Maijbhandari, MP, of Tarikat Federation about the measures to prevent creating division among the Islamic scholars, the premier said that the Allah is that the ultimate judge to mention who are “good Muslims” and who are “bad Muslims”.
She added that her government doesn't allow creating militancy within the name of Islam because it is that the religion of peace.
Sheikh Hasina denied the proposal of introducing five percent quota for English medium students in BUET and Dhaka University while replying to a different supplementary question from Chapainawabganj-3 constituency lawmaker Harunur Rashid of BNP. Harun made the proposal for stopping the brain-drain.
She continued it's a natural trend that students go abroad for education . She said, adding students are now returning home after securing education abroad and interesting themselves in various activities within the country.
In responding to a different supplementary question from opposition lawmaker Mujibul Haque from Jatiya Party about stopping evening courses publicly universities, the premier said her government will take necessary measures in doing so and opined that no law is required to be enacted to the present end.
Responding to a different starred question from treasury bench lawmaker of Chattogram-11 constituency M. Abdul Latif, the prime minister said her government has taken various programmes for the event of rural areas aimed toward reducing disparity between villages and towns.
“We are committed to succeed in modern urban facilities to each village under the slogan ‘My Village, My Home’,” she said.
In this context, the premier said that her government has built village street network connecting each Upazila Sadar, district Sadar and divisional Sadar with the villages to succeed in every modern city amenities like – education and treatment to the villages to make sure balanced development of the country.
