It’s not possible to stop drug peddling by only killing petty criminals

NEWS media reported that three people, including two suspected drug peddlers, were killed in separate gunfights with police in Kushtia and Mymensingh on Wednesday. The template of statements from law enforcers said when police carried out a raid in a remote area at midnight on information that drug peddling gangs had gathered there, at that moment the drug peddlers opened fire at police prompting a gunfight that left the victims dead. The strikingly similar narratives of the gunfights are nothing but a repetition of same old stories.
With these two, at least 249 petty drug dealers and suspected peddlers have so far been killed during the Anti-Narcotics Drive began on May 4. Most of them were killed in so-called “shootouts” involving police or RAB. In Mymensingh, an alleged robber was killed in a gun battle with police despite the government repeatedly say that they believe in rule of law.
But in action the words appear to be different. The “Gunfight” new label of old “crossfire” or extra-judicial murder continued unabated although the authorities concerned have assured the UN for several times about uplifting human rights condition. Law enforcers in many underdeveloped countries indulge in corruption and are used as the agent for killing dissidents. The extra-judicial killing is only misappropriation of the power of law enforcers.
The shooting spree of law enforcers could not be able to check the smuggling and spreading of synthetic drugs, especially Yaba. We do urge the government to find a sustainable path to eliminate drug with bringing all the godfathers to book. Only killing petty peddlers won’t bring any result.