Ctg DNC limping for staff, logistics crisis
The Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) conducted 1,659 drives in Chittagong city in 2011. The number of raids was 1,468 last year. The slump in the intensity of the anti-drug agency's operations is largely blamed for understaffing and lack of logistics.
There are only 23 officials to check drug smuggling and abuse in a city of 50 lakh people when most of them have to attend courts in drug-related cases in other parts of the country.
Shidweshar Teli, a superintendent of DNC, Chittagong city, said he was a plaintiff as well as investigation officer of around 500 cases pending with different courts across the country.
“Before coming in Chittagong, I worked in Khulna and Jessore. So I have to spend most of the time there to attend courts, disrupting my regular job here,†he told The Daily Star.
Sources said two of the three superintendents overseeing the department's activities under a deputy director in the city had to spend most of a month attending courts.
The understaffed DNC Chittagong city office now depends on other law enforcement agencies to conduct drives. On their unavailability, it has to suspend operations.
DNC (Chittagong city) is split into six circles where at least a hundred officials are required to ensure smooth functioning. But it has got only 41 sanctioned posts and worse yet, 18 of the posts are remaining vacant.
The vacant posts also include those of three sub-inspectors, six sepoys, two assistant sub-inspectors, one prosecutor, two office assistants, one stenographer and one MLSS.
The department has other challenges to face--it has just one vehicle and that too is rundown. The officials said they were unarmed and not given risk allowance.
Superintendent Chowdhury Imrul Hasan said the officials did not get risk allowance even if they were doing the job of law enforcing. “Without arms and other security facilities, we have to work against desperate drug smugglers who use modern firearms.â€
The officials raised the issue of food rationing, which other forces enjoy but they do not, and that of the poor state of the Chittagong office's infrastructure.
Deputy Director of DNC (Chittagong city) Mukul Jyoti Chakma said, “The DNC was founded in 1990. After that, many forces like Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), Coast Guard were created and they are enjoying better facilities than us.â€
Anwar Hossain, inspector of Pahartali circle of the DNC, said, “We not only work to arrest drug smugglers and peddlers but do other narcotics related duties of the state.â€
According to its website, the department, apart from controlling smuggling, sale and abuse of narcotics, treats and rehabilitates drug abusers, co-ordinates activities of different government agencies and NGOs offering treatment and rehabilitation for addicts, and maintains liaison with similar agencies in other countries.
DD Mukul said a proposal for boosting the capacity of the Chittagong city office was submitted in the DNC head office some three years ago, but it was pending to date.
Additional Director of DNC (Chittagong Division) Khushi Mohan Bishwash said the scenario was same in other parts of the country. “The recruitment process for the vacant posts is under way and the upgradation proposal is under consideration.â€
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