Govt to set up independent institutes
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sectors to identify drug addicts,” he said.
He said that the word “dope test” may be disrespectful while anyone is applying for job or at an educational institute for higher degree. “For this, we are planning to term it as “special health examination”,” he added.
He said that if anyone wants to complete their education or get a job, they must stay away from narcotics.
Tuku further said that a public university and police force have already started conducting the test and they are hopeful that it would be implemented in all sectors soon.
“We have a plan to check transport driver before, in the middle and at the end of a journey, so that no one gets the chance to drive any vehicle after taking drugs,” he said.
Tuku added that they have also sent letters to the education ministry to implement the dope test operation in all educational institutes. “We would discuss about the progress in the next meeting.”
According to ministry sources, a 3-year long project as the cost of Tk 62.83 crore has been taken to intensify the dope testing across the country.
The project will be implemented in 19 districts that include Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal, Sylhet, Faridpur, Mymenshing, Tangail, Jashore, Cumilla, Rangamati, Noakhali, Pabna, Bogura, Kushtia, Patuakhali, Dinajpur and Rangpur.
Muhammed Ahsanul Jabbar, director general of the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC), told The Daily Star yesterday that a separate laboratory for conducting dope tests will also be set up and steps have already been taken.
“The transport sector is a major stake holder for the dope test operation and we also have a member from the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges [on board with the operation],” he said, adding that they are hopeful that the operation of the test will change the scenario of the transport sector in the upcoming days.
Sources in the home ministry said any authority would able to conduct dope test through the institute. If any private organisation want to conduct the test test among its employees they too would be able to apply for it, sources added.
The Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) in Sylhet has already started conducting the test among the newcomers during the admission since last year.
Bangladesh Police have also started conducting the test among force officials.
The authority of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) recently conducted it among around 100 suspected officials and found 26 officials’ results to have come “positive”. Steps have already taken to dismiss them from their jobs, according to sources.
The 26 police personnel include a traffic sergeant, four sub-inspectors, three assistant sub-inspectors, a Nayek and 17 constables. DMP commissioner Shafiqul Islam also disclosed the development while inaugurating the office of newly formed Mirpur Traffic Division on September 26.
Meanwhile, Shafiqul, during a crime conference on September 14, instructed the officer-in-charges of all police stations in the metropolitan area to create a list of known drug addicts of the areas concern, according to sources.
He also instructed the officials to help these drug addicts’ family members in the rehabilitation process. He further asked the OC’s to take legal action if anyone’s condition does not improve even after rehabilitation.
Sohel Rana, assistant inspector general of Police Headquarters, said police have conducted different kinds of awareness programmes along with a drive against narcotics.
Besides, they have increased vigilance among force officials so that no member of the force gets involved with narcotics trade or becomes addicted, he said, adding police is not only conducting dope tests before joining the job but also after to identify addicts.
Sources said the public administration ministry on September 5, 2018, issued a letter to include dope tests along with the existing process for all kinds of government jobs.
Referring to the letter, the security service division of the home ministry sent a letter to all ministries on September 18 that year but the dope test operation was yet to get any structure, sources claimed.
The security service division of the home ministry on February 5 this year sent a letter to the secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division and the Secretary of Technical and Madrasa Education Division.
Getting no response from the former, the home ministry again sent a letter on August 8.
The Technical and Madrasha Education Division, however, instructed the concerned wings to take necessary steps for dope testing.