RAJSHAHI, Feb 11, 2020 (BSS) – More than one lakh people both male and
female will come forward and work together to fight against drug abuse to
protect the young generation from its devastating effects in Rajshahi and
Natore districts.
To this end, various motivational and awareness programmes will be
conducted for their capacity building besides boosting their level of
confidence with intervention of a project titled “Drug Abuse Resistance and
Understanding- DARAU” within the next two-years.
Four development organizations- Light House, Dhaka Ahsania Mission
(DAM), Ashakta Punarbashan Sangstha (APOSH) and Nari O Shishu Kalyan Society-
will implement the project aimed at combating drug abuse.
Counterpart International will extend technical support while USAID and
UKAID financial support to implement the project in eight wards of Rajshahi
City Corporation and all nine upazilas in Rajshahi district and all six
upazilas and four municipalities in Natore district.
These were revealed in a project inception meeting held at the
conference hall of Deputy Commissioner’s office here today under the
Promoting Advocacy and Rights (PAR) Project attended by around 50 persons
from various stakes concerned.
Deputy Director of Local Government Division Parvej Raihan addressed the
meeting as chief guest while Bangladesh Chief of Party in Counterpart
International Kelly Jones as guest of honour with Chief Executive of Light
House Harun-Or-Rashid in the chair.
Civil Surgeon Dr Enamul Haque, Additional Director of Department of
Narcotics Control Zafrullah Kazal and its Deputy Director Lutfor Rahman and
District Education Officer Nasir Uddin spoke as special guests.
Editor of Daily Sonar Desh Akbarul Hassan Millat, APOSH Executive
Director Abul Bashar, DARAO Project Coordinator Monwar Hossain and its
Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Coordinator Subrata Kumar Paul also
spoke.
In his remarks, Parvej Raihan said the present government is zero
tolerance against drug-addiction and urged all quarters to come forward to
protect the young generation from the grip of the social crime.
“We have to build a healthy society to achieve sustainable development
goals,” he said, adding the movement against drug abuse should be turned into
social movement.
Harun-Or-Rashid told the meeting that cross-sections of people including
women, parents, school and out-of-school children, adolescents, youth,
transgender, public representatives and members of the civil society will be
engaged in the anti-drug abuse campaign.
He said the project is intended to benefit around four lakh people
either directly or indirectly.