Social movement to protect youths from drug abuse stressed

Forging a strong social movement against drug abuse has become a burning need of the time to check social erosion for saving the young generations from severe consequences.
 
The opinion came at a seminar titled 'Preparing a comprehensive action plan through creating a social revolution to resist drug abuse' held at Gangachara upazila parishad auditorium in the district on Tuesday afternoon.
 
The Upazila Administration with assistance of the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) organized the event aiming at discussing and working out suggestions, ways and means for a comprehensive action plan to forge a social resistance against drug abuse.
 
Gangachara Upazila Chairman Md. Ruhul Amin attended the seminar as the chief guest with Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md. Ershad Uddin in the chair.
 
Vice-chairmen of Gangachara upazila parishad Shaju Ahmed Lal and Rabeya Begum, Officer-in-Charge of Gangachara Model police station Md. Dulal Hossain spoke as special guests.
 
Additional Divisional Director of the DNC Ali Aslam Hossain delivered a keynote essay narrating the negative impacts of drug abuse on youths and young generations and zero tolerance policy of the government against drug abuse.
 
Gangachara Upazila Social Service Officer Mosaddekur Rahman, union parishad Chairmen Md. Liyakat Ali, Mazharul Islam Lebu, Mokarram Hossain Sujan and Abdullah Al Hadi took part in the open discussion session.
 
The speakers expressed concern over the drug abuse situation and urged all local government institutions, public and private bodies and stakeholders to come forward and work together to resist drug abuse.
 
They said the government has taken a zero tolerance stand against drug abuse and time has come to protect young generations from the clutches of drug addiction that also lead them towards committing social crimes.
 
The chief guest said creating public awareness about drug abuse and grave consequences has become imperative to eliminate the social disease for building a healthy society on the way to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
 
"The ongoing movement against drugs should be turned into a social revolution with complete support of communities and influential social leaders for freeing the society from abuse of drugs, its illicit trafficking and trade," he said.