All-out efforts underway to arrest drug godfathers: Coast Guard DG

Rear Admiral Md. Ziaul Haq, Director General of the Bangladesh Coast Guard, has stated that all-out efforts are currently underway to apprehend the godfathers involved in drug trafficking and smuggling.

He made the statement during a press conference held at the Bangladesh Coast Guard Headquarters following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Coast Guard and the Department of Shipping on Tuesday afternoon.

Earlier, the MoU was signed between the Bangladesh Coast Guard and the Department of Shipping to enhance mutual cooperation in maritime safety, environmental protection, and search and rescue operations at sea. Director General of the Coast Guard Rear Admiral Md. Ziaul Haq and Director General of the Department of Shipping Commodore Md. Shafiul Bari signed the agreement on behalf of their respective institutions.

When asked at the press conference whether effective measures to curb drug smuggling would be further scaled up, the Coast Guard DG noted that drug abuse is a major problem for Bangladesh, pointing out a rise in local demand which drives the supply chain. He highlighted that over the past two years alone, the Coast Guard has seized 15 million Yaba tablets and detained a large number of traffickers involved.

He added that a new, stronger law is currently set to be passed to completely curb drug trafficking, while the Department of Narcotics Control is being further empowered to play a more effective role.

Reiterating the government's zero-tolerance policy towards drugs, Rear Admiral Md. Ziaul Haq emphasized that efforts are focused on reaching and arresting the godfathers behind the trade. He stated that detained traffickers are being used to track down these masterminds in order to root out the drug menace entirely.

The Coast Guard DG further stressed that every ministry and the entire nation share a collective responsibility, noting that unless citizens remain vigilant and address drug use seriously within families and society, curbing supply will remain difficult as long as demand persists.

He concluded by reiterating the force's firm stance, asserting that more drug traffickers have been detained in recent years than ever before in Bangladesh's history, and affirmed that the Coast Guard will continue its zero-tolerance operations.
Senior officials from the Bangladesh Coast Guard and the Department of Shipping were present at the event.