Women take the lead in anti-drug movement

Women marching streets in Satkhira before they locked a drug peddler's shop in the town yesterday. PHOTO: STAR

Bemused townspeople looked on from sideways as over 100 women marched streets raising fists and chanting slogans against drug use and authorities' failure to stop the menace, which is soiling the young generation.

They held a rally in front of the drug peddler's shop at Polashpole, ransacked and locked it.

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The incident woke up police officials. Additional Police Superintendent (ASP) Delwar Hossain Syeedi rushed to the spot along with Sadar thana Officer-in-Charge Shahjahan and a police team and assured the women demonstrators of arresting drug peddlers including Adar Ali who owned the shop at Polashpole.

But none could be arrested when the report was filed in the evening. Police said they raided several areas in the town to arrest drug peddlers but could not nab any of them.

The women earlier formed an organisation styled Palashpole Uditee Mahila Sangha aimed at launching an anti-drug campaign in Palashpole.

Leaders of the newly formed organisation said they earlier urged police officials and the administration to take steps against drug peddling in the town, but to no effect.

They came onto streets as all their appeals to save youths from drug abuse failed, they told this correspondent during the brief rally.

Speakers at the rally vowed to free Satkhira town from drug peddling and its use and called upon people of all sections to join them.

Police know who are the drug peddlers but do not taken any action against them, they alleged. They are playing the role of onlookers while youths are being spoiled as drug use is spreading alarmingly, the speakers said.

They also called upon civil society members and NGOs to launch a coordinated anti-drug campaign.

Speakers at the rally included Mamtaz Begum, Mery Khatun and Lipi, all leaders of Palashpole Uditee Mahila Sangha.