Int'l Women SME Expo-2012
Anti-drug stall attracts visitors
Aiming at educating people about the deadly consequences of drug abuse, four former addicts have launched an anti-drug campaign by setting up a stall at the month-long 6th Int'l Women SME Expo-2012.
The organisers say the stall is attracting nearly a hundred visitors every day since November 17 when the exposition began at Polo Ground in Chittagong city. On public holidays, as many as 500 people visit the booth.
The expo will continue till December 28.
Monjur Hossain Pintu, who had been an addict for nearly 25 years, is leading the four-member team, carrying out the campaign for the first time under the banner of Ankur, a rehabilitation centre for drug users, and with support from the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC).
Pintu said, “As I personally experienced how tragic a life an addict leads and what sort of stigma and discriminations s/he has to go through every moment in the family and society even after returning from the dreadful and self-destructive activities, a sense of responsibility grew in me to create public awareness.â€
Pintu, also chief executive of Ankur, said they were registering good response from the visitors during their campaign from 2:00pm to 10:00pm.
The campaigners provide visitors with leaflets narrating true stories of the lives of drug addicts, deadly effects of drug abuse, and social and familial problems it leads to. The stall is also showcasing awareness creating posters and banners of the DNC.
Some visitors, who have their near and dear ones dependent on drugs, receive guidelines from them on how to treat addiction.
Around 70-80 percent of the visitors are youths, most of them students, said Pintu, adding that they had a comment book, in which the visitors wrote down their opinions, suggestions, and wishes.
Both anti-drug activists and common people hardly get such an opportunity to seek and share knowledge and experiences about drug addiction, Pintu said.
Asadujjaman Nur Tushar, a team member of Ankur, said, “A stronger social movement should be launched to stop the illegal use of drugs, as it is destroying a huge section of the young generation.
“It's also kind of a wake-up call against the negligence shown to the people, who are dependent on drugs, by society and even by their own family.â€
Tushar said with a view to changing that mindset towards drug users as well as those who gave up, they were telling the visitors how a little care, sympathy and guide could help the victims' comeback.
If the addicts get proper medication and counselling, they could recover, he said, advising parents and guardians to be more sympathetic towards them.
Chand Ahmed, a government official, visiting the stall, said, “Such initiatives are hardly taken in the port city, though a lot of people want to know about it.
“Even being a government official, I think that the government should play a bolder role by assisting such initiatives on a larger scale since the government steps for public awareness in this regard are not sufficiently visible.â€
Another visitor, Mehedi Hasan, who has a relative addicted to drugs, said he lacked knowledge about addiction and did not have any idea who to contact to learn from and share his views.
The message I have got here will help me in my work against drug addiction and help my relative wean off his dependence on drugs, he said.
Mukul Jyoty Chakma, deputy director of the DNC (metropolitan area), said they got involved in the initiative to let people know about the consequences of addiction and ways of medicating the addicts.
He termed the campaign a great opportunity to get closer to people and said such initiatives must be encouraged more.
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