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The parliamentary committee on the Home Ministry has identified drugs and gambling as two of the country’s major problems, calling for stronger and more coordinated action to tackle them.
The call was made at the first meeting of the Standing Committee on the Home Ministry of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad at the Parliament complex on Thursday. Committee Chairman Zainul Abedin, MP, presided over the meeting.
The meeting stressed the need to step up public awareness alongside stronger enforcement measures to combat drug abuse. It noted that all members of parliament remain committed to a zero-tolerance policy towards drugs and urged all relevant stakeholders to play a more effective and coordinated role in eliminating the menace.
The meeting was informed that the Home Ministry has already taken several measures to combat drugs, including conducting mobile courts and establishing tribunals and courts with relevant jurisdiction.
The committee also reviewed the country’s overall law and order situation and measures taken to ensure public security. The ministry’s overall activities were presented to the committee.
The meeting was informed that police recruitment over the past six months had been conducted with 100 per cent transparency and without political influence or partisanisation.
The committee also reviewed the Home Ministry’s budget allocation and expenditure plans for the 2026-27 fiscal year, along with the sector-wise budget and expenditure allocations of all agencies under the ministry for the financial year ending on June 30, 2027.
The proposed total budget for the Home Ministry for 2026-27 was placed before the committee at Tk 31,099 crore. Of this, Tk 28,638.79 crore has been earmarked for the operating budget and Tk 2,460.21 crore for the development budget.
Committee members, including Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, MP, and parliamentary whips Rakibul Islam and Mia Nuruddin Ahmed Apu, attended the meeting.
Other members present were Mir Shahe Alam, Md Kamruzzaman, Md Monowar Hossain, Shirin Sultana, Md Nurul Islam and Md Abdul Baten.
The Senior Secretary of the Home Ministry, Inspector General of Police, directors general of departments under the ministry, heads of relevant agencies, senior officials and officials of the Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat were also present.