About 25 per cent of drug cases, filed by the Department of Narcotics Control, were resolved in court in the last seven years (2011-2017). The state narcotics watchdog filed 72, 530 cases during the period.
However, due to the slow pace of the investigation, delay in drug testing and lack of witnesses, the court could only settle 20, 349 cases.
Due to lack of concrete evidence, a large number go scot free. As many as 11, 634 persons evade justice, which is 52 per cent of total convicts.
According to a 2017-report of police headquarters, about 64 per cent of accused walked free in connection with drug cases lodged by the police between Oct and Dec.
An official of the narcotics department admitted the lethargic pace of justice, underlining failure to produce witnesses before the court on time, as the main reason.
A special court is essential to add impetus to the trial process of those arrested for drug-related offences, he added.
However, the Director General of the Department of Narcotics Control, Md Jamal Uddin, expressed his optimism regarding the issue.
“We are trying to bring the growing number of drug offenders within the ambit of the law; sometimes it takes time to end cases since successful conclusion depends on the gathering of irrefutable evidence and thorough investigation.”
For the sake of operating regular court proceedings, both the state and defence should be responsible, lawyer Arifur Rahman Arif told Bangla Tribune, referring to the slow pace of the court.
The lawyer observed that the normal pace of trial is disrupted due to lack of co-operation, absence of witnesses plus delay in report submission.
“Due to huge backlog of cases, a date for hearing at court is set after a long break, which impedes the normal flow of the case.”