STAFF REPORTER || Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Minister Saching Prue, MP, has described drugs as “the number one enemy of Bangladesh”, saying they are contaminating society at every level and that combating the menace will be given the highest priority at the state level.The minister made the remarks as the chief guest at a special meeting held at the auditorium of the Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner’s Office on Thursday. The meeting was organised to review and coordinate the district’s overall government activities, including law and order, combating corruption and drug trafficking, ensuring good governance, transparency and accountability, and implementing public welfare and development programmes.In his speech, Saching Prue said, “We must take an even tougher stance against drugs.” He said the routes commonly used by drug traffickers would be identified quickly and dealt with firmly.“We want to move forward by giving the directives of the Home Minister the highest priority in this regard,” he said.Emphasising the need to protect young people, the minister said the youth were among those worst affected by drug abuse.“The drug empire has spread across Bangladesh like cancer. If we want to build a better Bangladesh for the future, we must protect our youth from the grip of drugs at any cost,” he said.He called for the formation of drug prevention committees at neighbourhood and ward levels. He also directed the relevant authorities, with the assistance of law enforcement agencies, to eliminate drug trafficking in Chattogram, southern Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar, and to prevent the smuggling of fertiliser.The special district coordination meeting also discussed a range of issues, including preventing fertiliser smuggling, cracking down on drug traffickers, healthcare, cleanliness, distribution of family cards, construction of boundary walls around Rohingya camps, and prevention of juvenile gangs, as well as the district’s overall law and order and development activities.The meeting was chaired by Bandarban Deputy Commissioner Md Abdul Mannan. Cox’s Bazar-3 MP Lutfor Rahman Kajal, Advocate Shamima Ara Begum Swapna, senior officials from various government departments and leaders of the local journalist community were also present.