Narcotics dept comes under ACC hammer

Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman Iqbal Mahmud yesterday accused the Department of Narcotics Control of giving “inaccurate addresses” of drug peddlers, which was why, he said, the ACC could not continue with its crackdown against them.

In the presence of DNC Director General Salauddin Ahmed at a seminar, Iqbal said it was not believable that the narcotics department didn't know who the drug peddlers were.

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Many powerful men are behind drug business and none will be spared. “We want to say, either leave this business or go to jail….We do not want Bangladesh to turn into another Philippines…”

In response, DNC chief Salauddin said he was newly appointed and so he would have to check the list of drug traders handed to the ACC before making any comment. 

DNC and Internal Security Services Division of the home ministry jointly organised the seminar, “Aggression of drug: what should we do” in the capital's BIAM Foundation Auditorium.

At the start of his speech, the ACC chief tried to clear the anti-graft body's role in tackling issues of illegal drug business. 

“The ACC is trying to investigate those who are running drug business for years.

“I said many times that corrupt people, criminals, drug peddlers -- all have the same root,” Iqbal said.

The ACC in June last year asked the DNC to give a list of drug peddlers since, he said, it should know who the drug peddlers are.

The narcotics department accordingly gave a list of 365 drug peddlers.

Based on that, the ACC chief ordered a drive against 17 top drug peddlers. Unfortunately, all those addresses were found inaccurate.

“I want to give one month's time to the narcotics department. Please give us the accurate addresses…. We want that those who made money through this illegal business, their property will be handed over to people,” Iqbal said, adding that there was an order from the top of the government to crack down on drug business.

While giving his speech, DNC DG Salauddin avoided saying anything about the drug traders' list.

However when questioned about the issue, he said he would need a month's time for making himself fully aware of the matter to comment. 

At this point, the ACC chairman once again took the microphone and said that controlling drug business was not the business of the anti-graft body. Rather, it wanted to take action against those behind the illegal business through investigations into their properties and income sources.

When he urged the audience to give information, if they had any, about drug peddlers, one man asked Iqbal why his organisation was not arresting Bodi. 

The ACC chief said, “It is better not to mention any name in public. It is not like that we did not arrest anybody. It is not possible only by the ACC or the DNC.”

Awami League lawmaker from Cox's Bazar Abdur Rahman Bodi's name was on a list of suspected yaba smugglers, prepared by the Department of Narcotics Control in 2014. His three brothers, brother-in-law and some other relatives have also been listed as traders of the contraband drug.

Bodi, however, all along denied the allegation.