Phensidyl smuggling has shot up since the February 25 carnage at Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) headquarters, as lax border control, because of a shortage of BDR guards, allowed smugglers to step up operations across the Indo-Bangladesh border.

An internal security repon, submitted to the government high-ups early this April, also observed that the post-BDR carnage period has been marked by sharp increase in illegal activities, such as trafficking of women and children, and drug and arms smuggling.

This is reflected particularly in the sharp rise of Phensidyl smuggling, evident from the high number of recoveries in the last two months and a huge fall in street value.

According to a Rab statistics, the force recovered 21,052 bottles of Phensidyl in December. 28931 bottles in January, 35840 bottles in February. In March, Rab Phensidyl recovery shot up to 42,848 bottles and in April 44,603 bottles.

In the Dhaka metropolitan sub-region alone, narcotics control department officials

said they seized around 7,000 Phensidyl bottles in April, up from only 1.000 in Januaiy.

Meanwhile, Phensidyl prices oh streets have halved as the price of a bottle of Phensidyl in Dhaka now is at Tk 350 to Tk 400. which wasTk 650 to Tk 700 in early 2009. In the border areas, a bottle of the drug sells now at Tk 150 compared to Tk 300 before the carnage in Pilkhana.

A Phensidyl user from Dhaka Medical College Hospital area said Phensidyl traders are calling him repeatedly to sell it at abnormally low prices. "1 often scare them that I'll inform the police so the dealers don't disturb me anymore." he said wishing anonymity.

A Rab official seeking anonymity told Tire Daily Star, "Despite our relentless efforts a huge amount of Phensidyl is being smuggled into the country. This is reflected in the huge seizure of Phensidyl and fall in its street value."

Police and BDR personnel have also recovered huge quantity of Phensidyl in the last two months. Different consignments of the contraband syrup were being carried in trucks microbus and even cars. However, seizure of heroin, hemp and liquor has not experienced such an abnormal surge, according to Rab recovery statistics.

Director General of BDR Md Mainul Islam said they arc stepping up BDR operations along the borders and taking actions against smugglers.

Asked about the rise in Phensidy! smuggling, he said, There will always be smuggling along borders. But we'll control it by taking effective measures." He hoped to secure the border soon.

Bangladesh shares nearly 4,000 kilometres or 2,500 miles of land and maritime borders with its neighbours India and Myanmar.

The Rab officer said although the border guards are now patrolling the borders, their effectiveness is not satisfactory since BDR officers are still commanding their forces from different cantonments.

"Earlier, officers used to visit different camps at least 15 days a month to monitor the border guards discharging their duty," the official said.

Acting Director of Rab Intelligence Wing Major Azim Ahmed said they have alerted all Rab battalions, intensified search of vehicles, increased block raids and doubled patrolling in different border areas to check Phensidyl smuggling.

Medicine expert Prof Mujibur Rahman of Suhrawardy Hospital said protracted consumption of Phensidyl causes various longterm side effects including gradual inactiveness of the brain, anaemia and clogging up of the lungs with liquid.