Bangladesh Drug War

The Bangladesh Drug War or Bangladesh's War on Drugs is an ongoing campaign against alleged drug dealers and users by the government of Bangladesh under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The extrajudicial killings of alleged drug dealers by the elite anti-crime unit Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the police have been criticized by human rights groups and foreign diplomats.[1][2]

## Contents

* 1 Background
* 2 Events
* 3 Controversy
* 4 See also
* 5 References

## Background

Bangladesh has an unknown number of drug addicts, with estimates ranging from 100,000 to 4 million.[3] Since 2015, the Bangladesh government has focused on eradicating a cheap methamphetamine tablet known as Yabadehut, and police have made significant pill seizures during that time.[4] More than 29 million "Yaba" pills were seized in 2016, in contrast to just 1.3 million in 2011, according to a 2016 Bangladeshi government report.[5] There are allegations that a number of the larger dealers are linked to the ruling Awami League party,[6] pro-government Jubo League, and Secha Sebok League.[7]

## Events

Bangladesh started a major "Yaba" crackdown in mid-May, 2018 in response to a surging trade of “Yaba”. Fifty-two accused drug dealers were confirmed killed in the first 10 days of the operation.[1] According to a Bangladesh Police spokesperson, about 15,000 people were arrested in nationwide raids in the first three weeks of the operation.[5] 22,000 people were arrested from mid-May 2018 to July 2018 as a result of alleged involvement in the drug trade.[8] According to Odhikar, a Dhaka-based human rights group, 211 drug suspects were killed from mid-May 2018 to July 2018, more than a third of whom were arrested first.[4] Most of the killings followed a common script: alleged drug dealers died in “gunfights”, usually at night, with weapons and drugs discovered near the deceased drug dealers.[9]

Some of the notable incidents of killing are:

* Kamrul Islam, 35, who was accused of 15 cases, including drug possession and illegal possession of firearms. Whilst he was never convicted, he was gunned down on 25 May 2018. His wife claimed that Islam had quit drug dealing after their first daughter was born, 10 years ago.[5]
* Akramul Haque was shot dead by Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), who claimed Haque was a drug dealer. Haque's wife released an unverified 15-minute phone call recording that captured the last moments of her husband's life on 27 May 2018, in Cox's Bazar.[5]
* Riazul Islam was arrested by Bangladesh Police as he was walking home from his in-laws’ house. Later, he was shot dead while two officers were wounded according to Bangladesh Police. The hospital record showed that a single bullet entered Islam's head near his left ear and exited near his right, while each of the two police officers were treated for small areas of tenderness and swelling on one of their hands.[9]

## Controversy

According to The Daily Telegraph, there are allegations that the campaign is a "cover for a wave of extrajudicial killings and political intimidation ahead of a general election later this year".[10] In a cited incident, Habibur Rahman, an activist for the opposition party, was killed in an alleged shootout. His family said that he had been arrested at a mosque and had never used drugs.[10] The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, the European Union, Human Rights Watch, Marcia Bernicat, and the US ambassador to Bangladesh all expressed concern over the number of people killed.[11][4][5]

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina denied that any innocent people were being harassed and Asaduzzaman Khan, the Minister of Home Affairs, dismissed any allegation of extrajudicial killing.[11] One police officer in charge of an operation that ended with the killing of an alleged drug dealer said drug use led to crime and claimed that arresting drug dealers did not help.[4]

> "They come out on bail and they do the same thing, selling and using drugs," he said. "Every drug dealer should be killed. Then drugs can be controlled."

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan denied allegations that the police were executing suspects without taking them through the judicial process. "Our law enforcement people don’t execute anyone. If they do so, they will going against ethics, and will be fired if investigations prove they acted outside the law. This is not a lawless country," he told Reuters.[4]

There have been strong allegations that no actions have been taken against ruling party MP, Abdur Rahman Badi, despite reports from five state agencies that mentioned him as patron of the drug trade.[12]

## See also

* Mexican Drug War
* Philippine Drug War

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Safi, Michael; Rahman, Shaikh Azizur (2018-05-25). "Bangladesh's Philippines-style drugs war creating 'atmosphere of terror'" (in en). https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/25/bangladeshs-philippines-style-drugs-war-creating-atmosphere-of-terror.
2. ↑ "Over 100 killed in 'war on drugs' in Bangladesh". The Times of India. 2018-05-29. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/over-100-killed-in-war-on-drugs-in-bangladesh/articleshow/64368244.cms.
3. ↑ Kulsudjarit, Kongpetch (October 2004). "Drug Problem in Southeast and Southwest Asia" (in en). Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1025 (1): 446–457. doi:10.1196/annals.1316.055. ISSN 0077-8923. PMID 15542748.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "New frontline in Asia's crackdown on drugs". 2018-08-13. https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/rngs/BANGLADESH-DRUGS/010071Q638N/index.html.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Swati Gupta and Sugam Pokharel (2018-06-08). "Bangladesh defends war on drugs as body count mounts". CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/08/asia/bangladesh-drug-war-intl/index.html.
6. ↑ "Bangladesh launches 'Philippine-style' war on drugs" (in en). Deutsche Welle. https://www.dw.com/en/bangladesh-launches-philippine-style-war-on-drugs/a-43868467.
7. ↑ "Where does Bangladesh's war on drugs go from here?" (in en-US). Dhaka Tribune. 2018-05-24. https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2018/05/25/where-does-the-bangladesh-war-on-drugs-go-from-here.
8. ↑ "War on drugs to continue" (in en). The Daily Star. 2018-06-26. https://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/war-drugs-continue-1595413.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Baldwin, Clare (2018-08-12). "Arrested and killed: inside the Bangladesh prime minister's war on drugs" (in en-US). Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bangladesh-drugs-killings/arrested-and-killed-inside-the-bangladesh-prime-ministers-war-on-drugs-idUSKBN1KX0V4?il=0.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Farmer, Ben; Savage, Susannah; Smith, Nicola (1 June 2018). "Bangladesh accused of using drugs war to hide political assassinations". The Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/06/01/bangladesh-drugs-war-used-hide-political-assassinations/. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Farmer, Ben; Savage, Susannah; Smith, Nicola (2018-06-01). "Bangladesh accused of using drugs war to hide political assassinations" (in en-GB). The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/06/01/bangladesh-drugs-war-used-hide-political-assassinations/.
12. ↑ "AL govt unwilling to catch MP Badi despite official reports of drug trade link" (in en). Prothom Alo. https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/news/176212/AL-govt-unwilling-to-catch-MP-Badi-despite.

* v
* t
* e

Recreational drug use

Major
recreational
drugs|

| Depressants|

* Barbiturates
* Benzodiazepines
* Carbamates
* Ethanol (alcohol)
* Alcoholic drinks
* Beer
* Wine
* Gabapentinoids
* GHB
* Inhalants
* Medical
* Nitrous oxide
* Hazardous solvents
* contact adhesives
* Gasoline
* nail polish remover
* Paint thinner
* Other
* Freon
* Kava
* Nonbenzodiazepines
* Quinazolinones

|

Opioids|

* Buprenorphine
* Suboxone
* Subutex
* Codeine
* Desomorphine
* Krokodil
* Dextropropoxyphene
* Darvocet
* Darvon
* Fentanyl
* Diamorphine
* Heroin
* Hydrocodone
* Hydromorphone
* Dilaudid
* Methadone
* Mitragyna speciosa
* Kratom
* Morphine
* Opium
* Oxycodone
* /paracetamol
* Tramadol

Stimulants|

* Amphetamine
* Arecoline
* Areca
* Betel
* Caffeine
* Coffee
* Energy drinks
* Tea
* Cathinone
* Khat
* Cocaine
* Coca
* Crack
* Ephedrine
* Ephedra
* MDPV
* Mephedrone
* Methamphetamine
* Methylone
* Methylphenidate
* Modafinil
* Nicotine
* Tobacco
* Theobromine
* Cocoa
* Chocolate

Entactogens|

* 2C series
* 6-APB
* Benzofury
* AMT
* MDA
* MDMA
* Ecstasy

Hallucinogens|

| Psychedelics|

* Bufotenin
* Psychoactive toads
* Vilca
* Yopo
* DMT
* Ayahuasca
* LSA
* LSD-25
* Mescaline
* Peruvian torch
* Peyote
* San Pedro
* Psilocybin / Psilocin
* Psilocybin mushrooms

|

Dissociatives|

* DXM
* Glaucine
* Inhalants
* Nitrous oxide
* alkyl nitrites
* poppers
* amyl nitrite
* Ketamine
* MXE
* Muscimol
* Amanita muscaria
* PCP
* Salvinorin A
* Salvia divinorum

Deliriants|

* Atropine and Scopolamine
* Atropa belladonna
* Datura
* Hyoscyamus niger
* Mandragora officinarum
* Dimenhydrinate
* Diphenhydramine

Cannabinoids|

* JWH-018
* THC
* Cannabis
* Hashish
* Hash oil
* Marijuana

Oneirogens|

* Calea zacatechichi
* Silene capensis

Club drugs|

* Cocaine
* Quaaludes
* MDMA (Ecstasy)
* Nitrous oxide
* Poppers

Drug culture|

| Cannabis culture|

* 420
* Cannabis cultivation
* Cannabis smoking
* Head shop
* Legal history of cannabis in the United States
* Legality of cannabis
* Marijuana Policy Project
* Medical cannabis
* NORML
* Cannabis and religion
* Stoner film

|

Coffee culture|

* Coffee break
* Coffeehouse
* Latte art
* Tea house

Drinking culture|

* Bartending
* Beer culture
* Beer festival
* Binge drinking
* Diethyl ether
* Drinking games
* Drinking song
* Happy hour
* Hip flask
* Nightclub
* Pub
* Pub crawl
* Sommelier
* Sports bar
* Tailgate party
* Wine bar
* Wine tasting

Psychedelia|

* Psychonautics
* Art
* Drug
* Era
* Experience
* Literature
* Music
* Microdosing
* Therapy

Smoking culture|

* Cigarette card
* Fashion cigarettes
* Cloud-chasing
* Loosie
* Smokeasy
* Smoking fetishism
* Tobacco smoking

Other|

* Club drug
* Counterculture of the 1960s
* Dance party
* Drug paraphernalia
* Drug tourism
* Entheogen
* Hippie
* Needle sharing
* Nootropic
* Party and play
* Poly drug use
* Rave
* Religion and drugs
* Self-medication
* Sex and drugs
* Whoonga

Drug
production
and trade|

| Drug
production|

* Coca production in Colombia
* Drug precursors
* Opium production in Afghanistan
* Rolling meth lab

|

Drug trade|

* Illegal drug trade
* Colombia
* Darknet market
* Drug distribution
* Beer shop
* Cannabis shop
* Liquor store
* Liquor license

Issues with
drug use|

* Abuse
* Date rape drug
* Impaired driving
* Drug harmfulness
* Effects of cannabis
* Addiction
* Dependence
* Prevention
* Opioid replacement therapy
* Rehabilitation
* Responsible use
* Drug-related crime
* Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
* Long-term effects of cannabis
* Neurotoxicity
* Overdose
* Passive smoking
* of tobacco or other substances

Legality of
drug use|

| International|

* 1961 Narcotic Drugs
* 1971 Psychotropic Substances
* 1988 Drug Trafficking
* Council of the European Union decisions on designer drugs

|

State level|

* Drug policy
* Decriminalization
* Prohibition
* Supply reduction
* Policy reform
* Demand reduction
* Drug Policy Alliance
* Harm reduction
* Law Enforcement Action Partnership
* Liberalization
* Latin America
* Students for Sensible Drug Policy
* Transform Drug Policy Foundation

Drug policy
by country|

* Australia
* Canada
* Germany
* India
* Netherlands
* Portugal
* Slovakia
* Soviet Union
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* United States
* Just Say No
* Office of National Drug Control Policy
* School district drug policies
* California
* Colorado
* Maryland
* Virginia

Other|

* Arguments for and against drug prohibition
* Capital punishment for drug trafficking
* Cognitive liberty
* Designer drug
* Drug court
* Drug possession
* Drug test
* Narc
* Politics of drug abuse
* War on Drugs
* Mexican Drug War
* Plan Colombia
* Philippine Drug War
* Zero tolerance

Lists of
countries by...|

* Alcohol legality
* Alcohol consumption
* Anabolic steroid legality
* Cannabis legality
* Annual use
* Lifetime use
* Cigarette consumption
* Cocaine legality
* Cocaine use
* Methamphetamine legality
* Opiates use
* Psilocybin mushrooms legality
* Salvia legality

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