Dhaka, Nov. 17 -- It is not just a story of drug trafficking, but a warning sign for our national security. Smuggling is not a new phenomenon in our coastal belts. Trawlers are moving towards Myanmar's Rakhine state with our daily commodities including rice, pulses, oil and medicines as part of a barter trade known as 'Bangla Mal'. And in return, millions of taka of Yaba and crystal meth (ice) are being entered the Bangladesh. This invisible drug empire has been built with the collusion of hundreds of fishermen, Rohingya workers, boat owners, and even some local public representatives.
Unscrupulous gangs in Bangladesh have created this exchange system by capitalizing on the food and medicine shortages caused by the military junta's blockad...