Editorial
Drugs: a national danger for Bangladesh.
By : Obaid Ullah Hamzah
Drugs abuse has alarmingly increased in recent years in Bangladesh. According to reports, statistics and research made and published by many agencies and organisations in Bangladesh, there are more than 7 million addicts from all strata of the society. Sad to say, 77 % of them young whose life is spanning from 16 to 35 years. Heavy crack down on the drugs smugglers and peddlers is a must- do job of the government When we appreciate and happily welcome the move, we should not forget to tell the government that it has be to be done within the framework of law because extrajudicial killings and unbridled freedom given to law enforcement agencies are not perceived in any civil society.
Bangladesh is unfortunately surrounded by unfriendly neighbor, or even a hostile country . To put Bangladesh and it’s future at danger, they are waging a proxy war through drugs.
It is a very critical social problem which needs to be tackled by a series of a well- planned programs that will address the whole issue. Most importantly , we should deal with the matter the way the Qur’an had dealt with . Religious Education, teaching morality, proper upbringing of the children, caring parenting, creating awareness about the danger among all, we believe, will be helpful. No madrasa student is found as an addict. Not only that, for people with commitment to practice the deen ( religion) drugs are last things they can think about.
Drugs and guidance can not go together. They are, as the Prophet Muhammad PBUH said, source or mother of all crimes. In our society, many crimes from killings to abduction, rape to marriage collapse, take place because of drugs abuse.
Allah says in the Qur’an wine is infamy of Satan. He creates enmity and hatred through it. It indicates to linkage of drugs with crimes as enmity provokes one to open dark pages in life.
Drinkers of wine ( then, now addicts of all sort of drugs) must face social boycotting. The Prophet Muhammad pbuh said do not sit with them, do not make salam to them, do not visit them if they fall sick, do not even attend their funeral prayer if they die.
Islam made drinking wine such a serious offence that it is in abomination equivalent to idolatry. All the people involved in the dirty process of alcohol from making to distribution are considered equally criminal and cursed upon.
We hope, government will deal with the issue firmly on the one hand and be respectful to the law and human rights on the on the other hand. Bad elements, no matter who or where they Are, be spared. May Allah accept good deeds of all.