MAY 28, 2018 / 4:00 PM / UPDATED AN HOUR AGO

Bangladesh kills 86, arrests 7,000 in anti-drugs campaign

Serajul Quadir

DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh police have killed at least 86 people and arrested about 7,000 since launching a crackdown on drug trafficking this month, officials said on Monday, raising fears from rights activists of a Philippines-style war on drugs.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina approved the anti-narcotics campaign in early May to tackle the spread of ya ba, as methamphetamine is widely known in Asia, and worth an estimated $3 billion annually, government officials say.

The drug is sourced from Myanmar’s northeast and smuggled into neighbouring Bangladesh.

“In recent times, drug dealing has increased and we feel that people should be alert and motivated to act against it,” Devdas Bhattacharya, a senior police official, told reporters.

“The process will continue until it’s eradicated totally”……..

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://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-bangladesh-drugs/bangladesh-kills-86-arrests-7000-in-anti-drugs-campaign-idUKKCN1IT1DA