Drug peddling alarming in Barisal city

It is a booming business now as the number of addicts has almost tripled in the last few years, a peddler told this correspondent seeking anonymity.

Trading on the 'death capsules' is done in a very organised way. The dealers who control the market supply drugs to retail sellers, who hand over those to peddlers in different areas of the city.

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Some selected spots including the Planet World (the lone children park in the city), Bangabandhu Uddyan, Hemayet Uddin Eidgah, Launch Ghat, KDC Park, Port Road and Medical College area are used for the transaction. Transactions on drugs like heroin and hemp are done almost openly at these places, some local residents alleged.

The peddler named some of the dealers. Abu Farazi, Alamgir Dakter, Paru Begum, and Lutu of Balur Maath Bosti (slum) control the dry drug business in the eastern part of the city. They also make wholesale supplies to other city areas and to Jhalakati, Patuakhali, Barguna, Bhola and other parts of Barisal division.

Each of them has more than half a dozen retail-selling agents, who have peddlers.

The dealers do not sell any drug directly to the peddlers or addicts.

The retail sellers and peddlers use secret codes for transaction. After payments, drugs are kept at certain identified spots on the roadside, bushes, garbage bins, vegetable sheds, shops etc by retail sellers. The peddlers collect those on intimation.

The drug peddler said they have 'arrangement' with police. They are operating safely under the protection of 'highly influential godfathers' belonging to the ruling party. Nothing will happen to them if newspapers report, he boasted.