Myanmar did not keep its assurances given to Bangladesh over Yaba, says Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal.
“I had discussed it with Myanmar’s, including its president and home minister as well as signed agreements. But they did nothing,” he told the media in Dhaka on Monday.
Methamphetamine-based Yaba is highly addictive and causes serious withdrawal symptoms.
Myanmar is infamous for producing vast quantities of yaba, opium and cannabis.
Yaba is usually smuggled into Bangladesh through 45 routes of Cox’s Bazar district, bordering Myanmar's Rakhine State, according to intelligence agencies.
“Yaba is only produced in Myanmar. It’s not produced in anywhere in Bangladesh or India,” said Home Minister Kamal before adding that there are several Yaba producing facilities in the border area and the Myanmar government has done nothing to shut them.
“India has shut Phensedyl producing facilities in response to Bangladesh’s call.”
The government has increased the number of border outposts in Bandarban and Naikhongchhari to curb yaba smuggling as well as intensified Coast Guard and BGB patrolling on the Naf River between the countries, he added.
On the ongoing countrywide crackdown on drugs since May 18, during which nearly 150 suspected drug dealers died, Kamal said, “We do not kill anybody.”
Law enforcers have reporting deaths in overnight ‘shootouts with drug traders’ since they began the crackdown on the prime minister’s orders.
Security forces have given identical statements on most of the deaths —drug dealers opened fire forcing them to retaliate.
Rights bodies have voiced concerns over the killings, raising questions about the authenticity of the reports.
Police have claimed that all of the dead were involved in drug trafficking.
“Security forces are conducting raids based on reports from five intelligence agencies,” claimed the home boss.
Blaming the drug dealers for attacking security forces, Kamal said, “The deaths happen as police retaliates.”
The anti-narcotics raid will continue until a total eradication of the menace, he added.