Sangsad Bhaban, Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said the government will provide financial assistance to the drug traders who have surrendered so that they can do other business and earn their livelihoods.

The Prime Minister said this while responding to a supplementary question from ruling party MP elected from Chittagong Mahfuzur Rahman, reports the UNB.

Sheikh Hasina said the drug traders surrendered to police out of their guiltiness and self-awareness.

‘Among the surrendered drug traders who are addicts being given treatment, and we’re giving assistance to their families,’ she said.

The Prime Minister said the government has taken a zero tolerance policy to contain drugs in the country and the ongoing drive of police against the menace will continue.

She mentioned that the drug traders have been able to realize drug trading or carrying is a crime.

In 2018, Hasina said, the law enforcement agencies lodged 1,19,878 cases in their anti-drug drives where some 1,61,323 persons were accused.

During 2009-2018, the government has distributed 35,85,796 leaflets, 1,83,148 stickers, 10,17,171 posters, published 1,02,802 bulletins and held 64,436 discussion meetings across the country, the Prime Minister mentioned.

Replying to another supplementary question from Jatiya party MP elected from Dhaka Kazi Firoz Rashid, Hasina said she does politics for the people of the country, not for herself.

‘So, I try to know which will be better for people or not. And I try to solve the problems. People elected me through their votes. So, I took it as my duty.’

Regarding the manual trafficking system instead of auto traffic signaling one, she said she has directed the people involved in the signaling system not to stop plying of vehicles on any particular road for a long time.

In this connection, she said, the government is going to introduce digital trafficking system to reduce the woes of common people.

Replying to another Jatiya Party MP Mujibu lHuq Chunnu, Hasina said the main reason behind the traffic congestion in the country is violation of traffic rules.

‘If everybody obeys traffic rules then there might not be such traffic jams,’ she said.

Responding to a question from the ruling party MP election from Chittagong, the Prime Minister said the government has implemented so many projects in Dhaka to reduce traffic jams.

‘Many projects are underway. On completion of these projects, Dhaka city will be free from traffic jams,’ she said.