The list of such traders has been prepared by intelligence organisations, Department of Narcotic Control (DNC), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), RAB and Police.
Police initially prepared a list of 554 people involved in Yaba trading in November 2012.
Now the list is bigger with the number of people on it going beyond 1200.
“We have orders to eradicate the Yaba menace. All of us are working to do just that,” State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told bdnews24.com.
He said the list of Yaba traders was being constantly updated.
Who are on list!
Several relatives and associates of Awami League MP Abdur Rahman Bodi are on the list , a copy of which is now with bdnews24.com.
The list includes Bodi’s brother Md Abdul Shukkur, Moulavi Mujibur Rahman, two half brothers Abdul Amin and Faisal Rahman.
Bodi’s uncle Haider Ali, cousin Quamrul Islam Rasel, nephew Nipu and relatives Akhter Kamal, Shahed Kamal are also on the list.
Former Cox’s Bazar MP Prof Mohammad Ali’s son Mohammad Rashed, Teknaf Upazila Juba League general secretary and Upazila chairman Noor Hossain, former chairman of Teknaf Sadar union Zafar Ahmed, Khurshida Karim, Zabed Iqbal and Chhatra League leaders Ali Ahmed and Abu Bakkar also figure in the list.
“I have no idea about whose names are on the list. There might be some mistake,” MP Bodi told bdnews24.com.
“I am a two-time elected MP. The honourable prime minister is against Yaba. So am I. I also want yaba menace to be eradicated.”
The MP, who is now hospitalised in Dhaka’s Apollo Hospital, said local journalists were spreading propaganda against him.
Yaba routes
Yaba makes its way into Bangladesh through 45 routes of Cox’s Bazar district, a bordering area of Myanmar.
Recently the BGB has started setting up new camps to block these routes.
“At present there are 23 camps in the area. Fifteen more camps will be set up soon,” BGB’s Cox’s Bazar sector commander Col Khandaker Farid Hassan said.
“Work on the new camps have speeded up as the government has ordered zero tolerance on drugs,” he said.
BGB Teknaf 42 Battalion’s Director Lt Col Md Abu Zar Al Zahid said they had boosted monitoring throughout 54 km border area with Myanmar.
He said law enforcers were conducting raids in compliance with the list of Yaba traders prepared by the home ministry.
More Yaba consignments were being seized now during these raids, Zahid said.
The BGB official said they would not spare anybody no matter how influential the person was.
Cox’s Bazar district’s Additional Superintendent of Police Tofail Ahmed said they were attaching highest priority to the anti-narcotic drive.