Director General of the Bangladesh Coast Guard, Rear Admiral Md Ziaul Hoque, said on Tuesday that the force would intensify efforts to identify and arrest drug “godfathers” operating through the country’s maritime routes.

“We are trying to catch all the godfathers involved in drugs,” he said at a press briefing at the Coast Guard headquarters, stressing the force’s role in combating drug trafficking and smuggling within its maritime jurisdiction.

He said the Coast Guard was arresting people involved in drug trafficking and smuggling and using information obtained from them to trace the masterminds behind maritime drug networks.

Over the past two years, the Coast Guard has seized around 1.5 crore yaba tablets and arrested a large number of people involved in drug trafficking, Ziaul said.

He said growing domestic demand was sustaining the supply of drugs. “If there is demand, there will be supply,” he said, stressing that enforcement efforts must be accompanied by measures to address drug use at the family and social levels.

The government maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards drugs and is preparing stronger legislation to curb the trade, while the Department of Narcotics Control is also being strengthened, he said.

Earlier, the Coast Guard and the Department of Shipping signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in maritime safety, environmental protection and search-and-rescue operations.

Rear Admiral Ziaul and Department of Shipping Director General Commodore Md Shafiul Bari signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations.

The MoU will facilitate the sharing of information and technical data, joint training and emergency drills, and coordination in implementing international maritime obligations, Shafiul said.