The unofficial figure would be many times higher as there are many unlicensed shops selling liquor and narcotics secretly. The number of addicts among working class people and youths is increasing alarmingly, sources claimed.

Out of 16 licensed liquor shops in greater Rangpur, five are in Gaibandha, two in Lalmonirhat, three in Nilphamari, two in Kurigram and four in Rangpur town.

Besides the licensed liquor shops, many illegal drug traders have been doing brisk business under the shelter of a section of dishonest policemen and narcotics department men, the sources claimed. Many of the illegal drug traders have link with drug smugglers. The illegal traders deal in different kinds of wine, drug, hashish and phensidyl. They even supply foreign liquor, if wanted by any client.

Everyday, Indian Phensidyl, Beer, Rectified Sprit, Cocaine and Whisky enter Bangladesh in large quantities through borders in Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat and Kurigram. These are stored in secret places for supply to different areas in the country.

The illegal drug smugglers keeps close contact with certain police stations.

Besides, hashish is being cultivated in some remote shoal areas of Dharla, Teesta and Brahma-putra rivers in Kurigram, Rangpur and Gaibandha districts, ignoring a government ban. Hashish is now a cash crop for many shoal people.

A farmer easily earns Tk two to three thousand from each hashish plant. They grow the plants secretly on homesteads or in remote abandoned areas. November and December is the harvesting season of hashish.

Sometimes law enforcers and member from the narcotic department launched raids and seize hashish plants but the culprits are hardly nabbed.

Law enforcers however say they can not hunt down the illegal hashish growers in the remote areas due to lack of transport, adequate manpower and other logistics.