Dhaka/Vienna, 10 December 2014 - After meeting Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Abdul Hassan Mahmood Ali, today, UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov called the talks "productive" and said they were part of an ongoing dialogue on how the country and South Asia can overcome the sizeable challenges of drugs and organized crime.
"My constructive conversation with the Foreign Minister reinforces my view that Bangladesh is on the right path when it comes to confronting the criminal networks that can do untold damage to a country's development," said Mr. Fedotov.
"I am particularly pleased," he said, "that Bangladesh recognizes the clear threat of wildlife crime and is also taking measures, with UNODC's help, against the trafficking of both drugs and human beings."
Bangladesh faces problems with drug use that was once concentrated in urban areas, but has now broken out into rural surroundings. Around 80 per cent of drug users in Bangladesh are thought to be young people.
UNODC has offered to assist Bangladesh by providing detailed research and analysis of drug use. The organization is also working closely with the Department of Narcotics Control and the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to help stem the drug trafficking flow.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also agreed with the government of Bangladesh during a meeting between Mr. Fedotov and the National Board of Revenue.
The MoU was signed in the presence of the State Minister of Finance M A Mannan and focuses on the highly regarded Container Control Programme, which UNODC co-manages with the World Customs Organization.
Mr. Fedotov, while in Dhaka, also held talks with the Senior Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mohammed Mozammel Haque Khan and delivered a keynote speech on UNODC's mandate of drugs, crime and terrorism to students at Dhaka university.
For further information, please contact:
David Dadge
Spokesperson, UNODC
Telephone: (+43- 1) 26060-5629
Mobile: (+43) 699-1459-5629
Email: david.dadge[at]unvienna.org
