The Narcotics Control Department says it’s in the process to develop a database of drug dealers with assistance from Korea.
Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) on Monday handed over vehicles and equipment to Bangladesh to support eradicating illicit drugs in Bangladesh under its ‘I DREAM it’ project.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan was present at the handing over ceremony held at the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) headquarters in Dhaka.
KOICA Country Director Joe Hyun-Gue handed over the equipment and keys of vehicles.
Works for developing the database will start in October, a DNC official told Bangla Tribune
“The database will include all information, including biometric details, which will help identify suspects following arrests,” the project’s Deputy Director Md Zillur Rahman said.
He said the database will be curb identified narcotics offenders fleeing the country. “We will gradually include it with the Immigration and Customs Department,” Rahman said.
KOICA, in collaboration with Department of Narcotics Control (DNC), is implementing the project with a budget of US$4 million in grant aid for three years to achieving SDG target 3.5, namely strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse.
Under this project, current business processes of DNC will be analysed as well as reengineered with a development of narcotic-related information management system, KOICA said.
The project is also supporting to upgrade two DNC laboratories in Dhaka and Chittagong and providing with new IT system, drug investigation and drug testing and identification related equipment, it said.
In addition, there will be short-term and medium-term capacity building programme for Bangladeshi relevant officials in Korea for advanced drug management and investigation techniques in order to preventing narcotic-proliferation in Bangladesh.
KOICA said the project will make narcotic prevention videos with media and organize campaigns to raise public awareness about the harmful effects of narcotics.