The director generals of the narcotics departments of the two countries will attend the meeting to discuss the possible ways to wipe out narcotics.

According to Bangladesh sources, Bangladesh will urge Burma to shut down 37 yaba factories, run by extremist and militia groups in different states in Burma.

Yaba pills produced in Burma are regularly being smuggled into Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has said there are 37 yaba factories in Burma of which the Kachin Defence Army of Myanmar runs 10 at Kukhai, Panhsay Kyaw Myint and Yang Mouliang operate two at Namkham, U Haw Special Police and Holi Tract run another at Kunlong and the Manpang Militia, Mongha Militia and the First Brigade of the Shan State Army (north) run three Yaba factories at Tangyan.

Besides, Yanju of Loi Hsopsur has one factory at Monghsu; the Shan Nationalities People’s Liberation (SNPL) and Kao-Shan-Chou Sang (Nayai) operate two factories at Namzang; Mahaja runs two factories at Homong; the United Wa State Army (UWSA) and Kokang have three at Mongton while the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) operates one factory at Kokang, intelligence sources found.

Director General of Department of Narcotics Control Mohamed Iqbal said a large number of people in Bangladesh are suffering various problems after using the sex-stimulant drug for the last few years entering from Burma.

Different anti-social activities are increasing in Bangladesh due to the use of drugs, he said.

This small pill, yaba, whose name means “madness drug”, a potent mixture of methamphetamine and caffeine, and often spiked with trace amounts of heroin, is now the narcotic of choice for addicts,especially those in the ages ranging between 18 and 30 years, across Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh authority said that people from western Burma border have a hand in the smuggling of Yaba pills through the mostly porous border between Burma and Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh intelligence reports say at least 13 syndicates are active in the border areas, along with thousands of peddlers, including 31 big operators in supplying Yaba to different parts of Bangladesh. Most of these peddlers operate in the eastern part of Bangladesh. These people are also involved in arms smuggling.

Police officials have said that they have arrested a large number of people in the last 10 years – especially from the eastern parts of the country – for trading, supplying and using various drugs. However, these arrests have failed to check the spread of yaba.