“Do you need? Want to smoke? It is good to smoke cannabis. Good people smoke cannabis. Smoke cannabis and be happy.”
A drug seller is calling his customers in this way, in a melodious tone. He is selling cannabis on Monday beside the railways in front of a slum. Buyers are going to him, and leaving the spot in a hurry after buying.
During a spot visit at Karwanbazar railway slum in the capital on Monday noon – only a day after a large-scale anti-drug raid conducted by a huge number of law enforcers– it was seen that drug is being sold openly in this way at the spot.
From a distance, it seems that a hawker is selling something daily-necessary.
In reply to a query if he sells cannabis only, the lungi-wearing drug seller said, “No, I don’t sell anything except cannabis.”
Commenting on the ongoing anti-drug campaign, He said, “Police have arrested many people yesterday. I was not present, I went undercover. But none of the yesterday’s arrestees are main drug dealers. They’re common people.”
A vegetable seller at nearby Karwanbazar kitchen market, Abu Sayeed, also echoed the same allegation of arresting petty drug sellers and abusers.
He said, “Yesterday police arrested and filed cases against a good number of people. But none of them are main drug dealers. They are petty sellers and drug-addicted ones.”
Saleha Khatun, a dweller from Karwanbazar slum, said, “Police don’t catch the big fishes. They know everybody, who sells cannabis and who sells yaba. But when a raid is conducted, they (top dealers) don’t stay in the area. Their sources in police inform them in advance, and they leave the place.”
In reply to a query over why top drug dealers of Karwanbazar are not being arrested, Tejgaon Industrial Area thana Officer-in-Charge Abdur Rashid told the Bangla Tribune, “There were six drug lords in the area. I have sent four of them to jail after arresting them.”
Notable, Tejgaon thana, Tejgaon Industrial Area thana and DB Police jointly conducted a huge drive at Karwanbzar railway slum, arresting 47 persons on charges of selling and abusing drugs.