Almost awash in guns, and plagued by addicts and extortionists, Dhaka and some other big cities of the country are struggling to cope with the wave of

violence. Reports carried by newspapers in recent times about kidnapping, assault and brutal killing of businessmen, political activists and even innocent kids held for

ransom by rival groups and addicts who are mostly hired killers have disturbed the citizens.

The recent killing of Fazlul Huq, DCC ward-41 Awami League general secretary, by some hired killers engaged by his politi-cal rival has awakened the citizenry to the vicious crimes that are now being committed in and around the city. Dulal, an addict and one of the killers, confessed that he was hired by Kalu, an accomplice of drug peddler Liton, after luring him with two day's heroin and Tk 5,000 for killing Fazlul Huq.

People are horrified at the ineptitude of the law enforcement personnel, the senseless killing of innocent and helpless citizens, and the realisation of how much damage these brutalities were doing to the country.

After a thorough analysis of such violence by the youth, who earn money in exchange of contract killing without having any direct link and animosity with the victims, one is led to believe that the damage starts from the home. Many parents, especially mothers, are not giving enough time to raising their children in a proper way. Some of these parents, who are affluent beyond measure, are given to indulging in drugs and drinks and partying that transgress the limits of traditional social norms and family values, alienating the children from the family and making them disillusioned. When the home life is so unhealthy, how can the kids turn to a life that has moral values?

Many students in universities, colleges and even schools, some of them quite meritorious, are also becoming drug addicts and drug peddlers. But the tragedy is that once they are hooked up, they have to steal money and valuable items from their parents to meet their demand for drug! When their need for money is urgent, they take to

extortion, hijacking and even killing.

A chill ran down our spine when we heard that, being desperate to get money for drugs, an addict attacked his neighbour and tied his hands and legs as he refused to meet his demand for money. Sensing that the neighbour's son had seen this, the monster killed him before stabbing the father fatally.

Till before the clampdown by Rab in November 2007 in the posh areas of the city after the seizure of 1,30,000 yaba tablets, law enforcers took little notice and the citizenry seemed oblivious of the insidious trade looming up in the society. As the crackdown revealed, it is now a blossoming clandestine trade involving mainly the rich and the young.

Yaba has replaced other drugs as the most favoured social lubricant among affluent urban Bangladeshis who largely view this drug as a recreational or goodtime high. It has become the aspirational lifestyle accessory — much like the SUV or LEXUS — of those with money to dispose-off.

Shockingly, such drugs that till mid-'90s were restricted to only a few have now found entry into the impoverished section of people. Reports have it that drugs, especially yaba tablets, are on sale in at least 1,500 spots in the city. Recently, a physician, who is an addict, was arrested with 500 yaba tablets.

In the latest drive against drugs, Rab arrested 25 drug dealers and addicts along with 1,200 yaba tablets from different locations at Uttara. In an annual conference on crime- related offences, held at the Police Headquarters, it was revealed by the police bureau that in the period ending November, 2010, police recorded 26,000 offences related to drug trafficking, but no information was available as to how many of the offenders were brought to book by the trial courts.

Much to our consternation, rich young kids dominate the scene. As urban affluence spreads, so does the number of drug users. The worrying trend is that the age when the young begin experimenting has dropped to 16 and 17. As one confession made to Rab by the arrestees reveals, there are about several thousand such dealers, and one is led to believe that there may be about several lakh high society people and young kids belonging mostly to the wealthy

sections hooked to such party drugs.

Cities, towns and even rural areas have witnessed a spurt in drug use, but it is not as alarming as it is in the posh areas in the city. So the demographic has changed vastly. It could be anyone between 16 and 30 with spare cash looking for a stress buster or the instant gratification of the quick high.

Initially, many youngsters start using this drug under peer pressure. Principals and teachers of schools and colleges where these kids are studying point to a fair degree of drug use and their helplessness in arresting the trend because of the wealth and power these users wield.

Yaba's popularity as a party drug has soared because it unleashes sensations like energy, exhilaration, a sense of freedom, supremacy and stress release, other than working as a stimulant for sexual desire. One is led to believe that till now mainly youngsters, including college and university students belonging to high income groups, are involved in such drug dealing and abuse.

But what is worrying is that the abuse is gradually spreading to other strata of the

society in an epidemic form, ruining the backbone of the middle and lower middle class people. The key area of concern involves addicts who refuse to accept that they are hooked and later face serious psychological and physical problems, not to mention financial problems.

It is now almost established that the menace starts from our own houses, in consequence of lack of parental care and attention at the appropriate time. Unhappily, money is often used as a surrogate for affection. The reaction to drug use by their kids is usually denial.

In a bid to finding out the solutions to these problems, we must fulfill our commitments to our own children. The consequences of turning night time revelry into a regular lifestyle can be difficult to handle.

With the adolescents, both male and female, being caught with yaba tablets, viagra and alcohol, and the drug trade extending beyond anybody's knowledge, it was little known that the disease had spread so fast and so far. So sweeping is the extent of its damage to the society

that nothing discussed in the print and electronic media in the past months seemed enough.

We must recall that there was a time when all the basic social forces were marshaled to teach children the values of life. The society has drifted very far from this approach. The erosion of values has put the nation in a quandary. We must try our best to restore the lost values. The sooner we can reach a consensus on what these values are, the quicker will we be able to avert a disaster that confronts our kids.

Government at all levels should step up the battle against drugs, poverty, corruption and social inequity. Far more money should be poured into education and recreational opportunities for the young. Youngsters need more of their parents' time, and they need to know that society cares about them. Above all, affluent parents should take a long hard look in the mirror. The values of today’s youth are merely magnified reflections of the values of their elders.

The author is a former teacher of physics and Controller of Examinations, BUET. E-mail: aukhandk@gmall.com