Use of women in drug trafficking on rise

Taking advantage of the poverty of the women in border areas, a syndicate of smugglers hires them for transporting illegal drugs from border areas in Lalmonirhat and Kurigram.

Members of 15 Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Battalion arrested two women carrying contraband Indian drugs and three kg of hemp from Kulaghat village under Sadar upazila yesterday.

The arrestees are Jarina Begum, 38, wife of Mansur Ahmed, and Mona Begum, 36, wife of late Moksedul Islam, both hailing from Paschim Balatari village under Fulbari upazila of Kurigram.

"I was hired for Tk 3,000 to transport one and a half kg of hemp to Bogra from Nawdanga border," Jarina Begum said. "As I was jobless, I accepted the offer by the drug smugglers' syndicate," she said, adding that many poor women in the border areas are being used as drug transporters.

Mona Begum said they get paid after delivering the drugs.

"If we had an alternative option for earning we would not transport illegal drugs, but we are helpless," said Fatema Bewa, 43, widow of Nurul Islam of Jawrani border in Lalmonirhat.

BGB sources said they have increased their vigilance and patrolling, so the identified illegal drug transporters are not conducting their illegal trade.

Commanding Officer of 15 BGB Battalion Lt Col Ahmed Bazlur Rahman Hayati said they have been conducting campaigns to raise awareness of the people of border areas against transport, sale or use of illegal drugs.