<i>Brisk business of porno CDs, mags in port city</i>
A section of dishonest roadside shop owners are doing brisk business of porno CDs and magazines at different spots in the port city, posing a threat of serious social degradation.
At least 20 makeshift shops on the pavements of the city streets in the New Market area are displaying such compact discs (CD) and books and selling everyday.
The CDs and magazines draw attention of the pedestrians, particularly the school and college students.
Sellers of such porno materials are also active at Station Road, Reazuddin Bazar, Sholoshahar Gate No 2, Agrabad Commercial Area, Chawk Bazar, Bohoddarhat, Rail Station and different bus stands, sources said.
Business of such CDs and books of vulgar pictures thrives on ahead of any festival or special occasions.
While visiting the New Market area the correspondent found that the porno CDs and magazines were on open display along with CDs of music videos, film and books of different types.
Abu Noman, a seller of the CDs in the New Market area, said they have porno CDs of different countries like Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Egypt, Iran, China, Japan and the United States.
The local and Indian CDs have a higher demand and sell at a price ranging from Tk 50 to Tk 200 while CDs of other countries sell at Tk 30 to 50, he said.
Local and Indian porno books and magazines sell at Tk 10 to Tk 100, he said.
School and college goers and youths are the main buyers of these books and CDs having obscene picture and sex stimulating names, said Joynal, also a seller and an adolescent.
“Wholesalers always provide us with new flicks of high demand,” said Joynal while refusing to disclose the identity of such wholesalers.
A shopkeeper alongside the makeshift shops on condition of anonymity told The Daily Star that students and youths throng the porno CD shops since the morning while the law enforcers seem indifferent to the menace.
He said due to sale of such CDs and books in the open markets, the youths and adolescents are going astray that needs to be dealt with strictly.
Abu Bakar Siddique, assistant commissioner of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) Kotwali Zone, said they have conducted several drives and seized more than 2,000 porno CDs in the New Market area on Friday but could not arrest anyone in this connection.
A case has been filed in this regard.
A section of dishonest hawkers return to the footpaths with such CDs and magazines immediately after the police raid, Bakar said, adding that the trade could be stopped if the wholesalers were traced out. He said the police are thinking of launching a hunt for the evil elements of the society soon.
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