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I am Mr.Titu, start to smoke with my friends out of curiosity as a teenager. This was the first step in my drug use. After that I often smoked cigarettes and smoked Gaza. At one point I became a chain smoker as it gradually became my habit. In the spare time I got after that, I try to get to know the outside world and start living an outward life. Then I got acquainted with some friend’s those who used heroin. Out of curiosity and some self-interest, I started to take heroin on my own aria. Firstly, I have a funny feeling that I think I have never found this joy anywhere else. The first day was a bit of a hassle but after that I used to take drugs often. Gradually I became addicted to the heroin. When I unknowingly make drugs is
a part of my life. One of the friends told me that if you want to get rid of heroin, you have to start inject drugs by TT and I start it. Due to family reason I can't read more, I want money from my father to do something at a time, but he tells me to do business without giving me money. My sister's wedding expenses; I opened a tea shop in my own area. Till now my family not known about my drug taking.
Doing business there could not be successful in any year and a lot of money is wasted. Then one day everyone will know about my drug use. From the failure I became more and more acquainted with heroin and various new injections. Once upon a time I fell in love with one of these girls. She wants to marry me when I get better. I assured him I would get better. We get married, have a son and I can't
change my life. At one point my wife started doing business with me and kept trying to make me better.

The beginning of my childhood was not good. My father was a day laborer. I am the only son of the parents. They loved me very much because I had only one son. There were five of us in our family. So it was very difficult for my father to run the family. From the beginning of my life, everyone raised me with a lot of love. When I started going to school, I didn't have any good clothes. I would go to school wearing clothes given to me by others. I had some friends when I went to school. I go to school with them every day. One of them was a friend whose father used to get drugs. He always gave his friends a bad idea. While staying with him, I started smoking one day. Gaza for a while after that. The family found out and kicked me out of the house. Since then I have been involved with all kinds of drugs. I have had physical, mental, spiritual, familial, social degradation. Besides, I have become the object of hatred in the family and society. One upon I told to a big brother in my area, how I will be drug free? He said to start ampoule from now so you can quit. I started to ampoule as he said. Two years later, I was in  rehabilitation treatment for 14 days. After that I was fine for a long time and was with family. Then my life went very well. I keep looking for work. Some days I get drug again. I will not read or write  anymore, at once upon a time I want money from my father to do something. But my father told me not to pay, where I can get so much money. I have two daughters to marry. Eventually the father asked to do business with the money that he had saved for my sister's wedding. I opened a tea shop in my own area. Till now my family not known about my drug taking. Doing business there could not be successful in any year and a lot of money is wasted. Then one day everyone will know about my drug use. From the failure I became more and more acquainted with heroin and various new injections. I fell in love with one of these girls. She wants to marry me when I get better. I assured him I would get better.

In January 2018, I feel like, I'm pushing my life into the drug. Then I think I will leave these. I told the family to quit drugs. One day A friend introduced me to Mr. Shariful Islam bhai, community organizer of APOSH, He refer to the APOSH, Khorbona outlet Office. I like their supportive counseling and helping attitude and at one stage I became a mother list. They give me all kinds of services. This saved me some
change. By the support of Khorbona outlet of APOSH I enrolled for OST treatment to Save the children implementing OST center at Terokhadia, Rajshahi on 5 July 2020. There I started taking OST in collaboration with doctors and counselors also my family has helped me a lot. Counselor always looking for me. I have taking OST medicine regular basis. Now I think I have come back from my drug life and
recover now. I have been well for about 9 months and I am having a happy day with my family. With the help of Word Counselor representatives, I started a tea shop business. My tea stall business is going well my wife takes me to the OST center every day and the business stays by my side.

For the last 105 years, I have not been able to fast a single day. Every day after iftar I go to the OST center to accepting OST. Not only me some OST user are now fasting regularly and taking OST. I wish good luck to the compromised OST center. After receiving treatment Save the Children & Ashokto Punorbashon songstha (APOSH), Khorbona outlet Encouragement to all PWIDs for OST treatment and
drug free life. I commutate regular basis with Khorbona outlet. I think the role of APOSH Kharbon Outlet and OST Center is very important behind my recovery and getting myself so far ahead.


 

Md. Rajib lives at Chaulia potti in Dinajpur district by birth since 1977 . His father is Raja Mia and his mother is also late. Rajia Begum. His Mother are Late when he was 10. And he was forced to do something when he was 24 years old, then he was unemployed. He was Nice Pass in a position to attend school when his family expected extreme financial support from
him. During the working period, he has discovered that some of his friends were used to take Smoking, Ganja, heroin, phencidile regularly. After some days he was habituated to receive cigarette, Ganja along with them. Then after 3 years later he has started to take phencydle due to increase drug taulerency. Then he started to take Heroin to cover his
drug dependency, it was continuing 2 years until he starts injecting drug. Then he has started to take injecting drugs in early 2007. His total experience of injecting drugs is 8 years more and middle of this period he has tried twice personally to give up drug habit at home. As a result he was in trouble to provide support to family due to his illegal involvement
within the drug using group.

He was faced unexpected circumstances and at the same time going to be weak financially day by day. He was trying to stop drug taking by applying home based detoxification but unfortunately it was not possible due to not avoid bad company surrounding him. One day he takes drug in a open place near Dinajpur Railway Station.

After his full drug free life APOSH, Care Bangladesh consortium arranges a vocational training for 14 days in about tailoring job. After passing his vocational training he full trained about cutting, fitting & repairing job. Now he permanently working at Kachari Bazar Tailor Shop and passing his live very well. 

He would able to achieve well acceptance to his family and community people due to passing drug free life indeed. Now he is in a friendship environment with lot of his well wisher/family members those who are helping him to avoid drug complicacy as well. His family members are providing him mental support properly as well as financial support too.
Also they are providing financial support to operate a small business locally with his Father. His family members assured him, if he does not relapse they will provide any kinds of support for his better livelihood. As a result he is enjoying no stigma and discrimination from the community part and that situation makes him more confident to choose healthy lifestyle. Also he has began to work as Serves. Now he is earning adequate amount to bear his family expenditure. Also he is trying to save money from his daily income considering his future. Moreover, he is passing his idle time at Dinajpur DIC, Shongi-021.

Md. Rajib beliefs, drug abuse always snatch valuable wealth of golden life. The moment of using drug man cannot think about his future as his thinking always surrounded to manage drug at any cost. Nowadays, Md. Rajib feeling very much confident to continue recovery journey by taking assistance from DIC. His father has shared with DIC team that he is very
much grateful to Almighty Allah for improving his son livelihood.  

My name is Md. Sohel Bhuiyan. I am the only child of my parents. I was born in 1975 in Khilgaon area of Dhaka.We used to rent a one-store house in Khilgaon. Being the only child of my parents, I got a little more affection from everyone.My father Nasim Bhuiyan was well known and influential in the area. He used to work next to BokChattar in Motijheel. My mother loved me the most. No day has kept any whim unfulfilled. If I asked for 500 rupees, she would pay 1000 rupees. I always had money in my hand.
So, the number of my friends is also much higher. Even though my parents admitted me to the school, I did not like the school. I always spent time chatting with my friends. Theycouldn't pay much attention to me. But they loved me very much. There was always money in the pocket. I didn't understand anything then except friends. I always spent my time hanging out with friends. I used to spend time outside all day. My mother could not notice it.

Addiction to drugs:
I spent my childhood in the care of my parents. Dad would not stay home all day but I would find him at home at night. I also used to hang out with my friends all day and come back home at night. When I was in the second grade. I used to see my father smoking at home at night and I got smell it. I liked the smell very much. A curiosity arose in my mind as to how it eats. I was only seven years old then. I then ran away from school and started smoking. The number of cigarettes I smoke increases day by day. I became addicted to cigarettes. Once upon a time I smoked cigarettes regularly. There was a man living in the one-store house we rented in Khilgaon. I often smelled something like that from the house. Suddenly one day I entered the room. I went and saw that he was eating something like a cigarette but the smell of cigarette is not like that. I then scolded him and told him that ‘‘I would kick you out of the house if you did not tell me what you were eating’’. Then I heard the first name 'Gaza'. I said I would tell everyone if I didn't have to eat either. I persuaded him with a lot of force and I started eating Gaza first. I eat two dozen ‘Gaza’. Shortly after eating, I turned my head and felt as if everything had turned upside down. I suddenly started vomiting. Nothing is in the stomach.
Looks like everything is getting dark. I fell asleep. My mother understood the incident. Then he told the tenant that you would leave the house very soon. Then I threatened my mother and told her that since he always pays rent, he can't be evicted. My thoughts are on the other side. I hope I can eat it again if he has it. Back then I often ate ‘Gaza’. One day I went to the tenant to eat Gaza but the tenant took out a bottle of Bengali wine. He says there is no ‘Gaza’ today. Eat it when you eat it. I was in so much pain to eat ‘Gaza’ then. At the end he gave me a glass of wine. My throat is burning when I drink alcohol. I vomited and made the whole house
dirty. My mother already understood, this time my father also understood. He kicked the tenant out. I was almost crazy then. Then a boy from my area hit me a lot. A friend of mine named Manik said then why didn't you say something? There was no energy in my body then. My friend then told me that I will feed you something like this today and you will get a lot of energy. I then go with him. He then bought many medicines from the shop along with milk and digestive tablets. When he came home, he sat on the roof and started grinding the medicines. Then it is mixed with milk and shaken and we then share it with five friends This goes on for a long time. My dad realizes I’m getting into the world of drugs day by day. Then he sold his house in Khilgaon and moved to Jatrabari. Later when I go to Khilgaon to get drunk, I can't find Manik anymore. Then my condition is worse. Then in the time of 2007 or 2008. Another friend of mine saw my condition and said ‘let me feed you something’ and it was heroin. I then say ‘Will you make me a ‘heroinchi’ in the end?’ Then he says ‘Eat if it feels bad then your shoes and my cheeks. After eating, such an intoxication comes to the body and everything seems to feel good. I used to take heroin and gaza regularly till 2015-16. In 2017, police raids started everywhere. I gave 1500 rupees to a friend of mine to buy heroin. But when I opened the bag he had brought; I saw that there was nothing in it. I'm crazy about drugs. Then I hit him a lot. Then he told me to take the first injection. I say
 

 
‘whatever you want. If you don’t fix me, I’ll kill you. ’He then brought an ampoule and injected the muscle in my left hand with a baby syringe. After a while I get a nice smell on my nose. Suddenly I fell unconscious. I woke up the next day and saw that I was lying alone. Then I thought I would never take another injection. I then took heroin again. But then nothing was happening to me after consuming heroin. I don't get any drugs like before. Then a friend of mine gave me a cocktail injection. Then I think I am happier than a king. I don't think the king is so happy. In this way, I became intoxicated with injections till the end of 2018.
What changes in life have been caused by drug addiction?
I had many friends when I was younger. As soon as I got involved with drugs, all my friends started leaving. At that time, I had no other friend except a drug addict friend. My father also died at one point after seeing my suffering. Mother lives a very hard life.
Even then I used to get drunk with money from my mother. I used to get drunk with the money from selling the house. It's all over. Now we have nothing. My mother handed me over to the police for drug addicts. After seven months in prison, I was released. I am away from my family. I got married in 2004. My wife also died one day. I consulted my wife in many doctors but nothing worked. Everything is the result of my bad deeds. I told her that‘my life would end like this if you left me.’ But did not listen to me. Allah has taken him. Now it's my turn to go. I live like this now. Waiting for her to leave.
Affiliation with the Jatrabari DIC:
I took the syringe for a few days even after getting out of jail. Then after the wife died there were no more syringes. Then I took the syringe in my hand and all the vans in my hand were damaged. So I try to take the syringe on my own feet. Then my legs are abscessed. Then I joined Dhalpur DIC through Dulal Majhi. He would then bring me a syringe / needle and ampoule. He would arrange my goods. When my wife died, I slowly stopped taking syringes.At that time Jatrabari was under Care Bangladesh. Even after taking many medicines and treatments, I was not getting better. Then, in early 2019, while working in a motorcycle garage, I was hit my foot by motorcycle's silencer and my legs were burnt and a large amount of abscess was made.
Reconciliation and success:
In April-May 19, APOSH started operating this Jatrabari DIC. Then the abscess of my two legs became very big. Goes out to the bones. I couldn’t sleep all night in pain. Then in mid-May’2019the MA took the initiative to send me to see a doctor. Culture sensitivity of my abscess is done. Then through regular dressing and taking medication I was getting fine. My abscesses still almost getting better. And it will get better in two weeks. All my medical expenses have also been compromised. I am now healthy and well after joining their service. I come to DIC every day and do abscess dressing. APOSH activities are much better than others. I am currently under OST service. Also, I don’t have any kind of drugs. I don't take any drugs except cigarettes. As soon as I felt bad, I moved to Jatrabari DIC. I pray that the work of APOSH will be more extensive so that helpless people like me will benefit more.

 
Once I dreamed of living, Now I show people the dream of living!!

If someone in our society becomes addicted to drugs and deviates from normal life, then we turn away 
from him, we look at him with crooked eyes, we make fun of him. As a result, our family and society 
unknowingly push the drug addict further astray, but is that a solution? What will be our role if someone 
in our family is addicted? To save own honor, maybe we become reckless with each other to sever the 
relationship, to banish the person who is addicted, not just family or society, but to banish him from life 
forever. We get involved in various crimes out of anger and revenge. The result is more miserable and 
painful. Rather, it is possible to bring him back to normal life only by standing by his side with sympathy 
and love. That's exactly what happened in my life. Today I will talk about such an experience with my 
own life. 
 
The beginning of Addiction: 
From a young age I had a dissatisfaction with everything and an interest in forbidden things. The matter 
of addiction was probably inside me. My father used to spend all the time outside. My mother used to 
get tired after working in the office all day due to several operations. And could not give me time. I felt 
very alone. I used to hang out with friends to get rid of this loneliness. Not only was I bad as a student, I 
was also the captain of the school team. When I was in ninth grade, I smoked cigarettes, then cannabis, 
phencidyl, heroin and then injections. I could not last more than one / two years in each drug because 
every drug is tolerated to take in the body. At the same time the amount of taking drug also increases 
and as a result the amount of money increases. 
 
Family Observation:
I am a child of a middle class family. My parents are both government officials, three brothers, I am the 
elder, my elder brother is an engineer, my younger brother is a graduate. As a result of taking drugs, my 
external  changes  gradually  start  happening,  such  as  waking  up  late,  staying  up  at  night,  taking  more 
money,  lying,  then  starting  to  lose  things  from  home,  sometimes  from  the  pockets  of  my  father, 
sometimes from the pockets of my brothers. After that, mother's  gold,  bronze's  things,  brothers' 
reading  books  did  not  leave  out  anything  in  one  word.  It  started  to  appear  in  the  eyes  of  my  family 
member very soon after starting the drug as a student. 

The way I came out of this path: 
As a result of injecting drug use, I met an employee of an organization  called  Ashokta  Punarbashan 
Shongstha (APOSH) in 2005. Let's talk a little bit about APOSH. APOSH has been working for a long time 
in  the  treatment  and  rehabilitation  of  drug  addicts,  awareness  of  the  evils  of  drugs  and  HIV  program. 
APOSH provides outreach services and  DIC  services  to  injecting  drug  users.  Outreach  services  are  the 
distribution  of  syringes  /  needles  to  reduce  sharing  and  receiving used syringes / needles, IEC / BCC 
distribution for behavior change, 08 types of health education and referring listed drug addicts to DIC for 
clinical services. DIC services are giving group education and providing all clinical services to drug addicts 
   
 
who referred from outreach or voluntarily coming to DIC. The clinical services are sexually transmitted 
diseases and HIV testing, abscess treatment, general health care and TB testing by referring to various 
GOs/NGOs, Providing DOTs, treatment of drug addicts, awareness about the evils of drugs. Through the 
identity of the field worker of APOSH, I became a member of Rajshahi DIC which is operated by APOSH 
and continued to take various services. 
 
Then I came down the street. Already separated from family‐relatives and friends. No one was around 
me. At that time, I often lived a horrible inhuman life for a year. I couldn't eat, I didn't have money to eat 
but I still took drugs. Meanwhile people nearby started avoiding me, friends started to move away when 
they saw me. That was a miserable life. Repentance was burning me. I was thinking of quitting drugs in 
my  mind  but  I  didn't  know  how  to  quit  drugs,  where  to  go  and  who  will  help  me.  I  couldn't  find  any 
solution. One day I was addicted to something called withdrawal, but it took no money in my pocket, so 
I decided that ‘NO’, I have to get out of this addiction anyway. Meanwhile, my whole body was hurting 
and I was vomiting. I prayed to Allah that I would endure all this with all my might, give me strength and 
that I may never return to the path of intoxication, either bring me back or take me out of the world, 
today I am powerless helpless. I didn't want to take drugs anymore and my eyes were watering. I 
couldn't anymore. My family repeatedly told me about the treatment but I never paid attention to their 
words.  But  when  I  wanted  to  get  well  on  my  own,  my  family  didn't  give  me  a  chance  to  get  better 
because I had been treated so many times in the past. My family considers my desire to recover to be a 
new drama. 
 
I gradually reduced the amount of drugs by taking the counseling of the medical assistant and field staff 
of  Rajshahi  DIC  of  APOSH.  From  then  on,  I  was  rehabilitated  completely free  for  3  months in 
collaboration  with APOSH.  And then  for  another  3  months at  the expense  of  my  family.  The 
constitutional life of compromise always said one thing seriously, the first pull of intoxication is the root 
of defeat. And this message burned me with remorse all the time. I had a question in my mind‐ what did 
I  do,  can  I  turn  back  again?  Of  course I can. At that time, the Executive Director of APOSH Md. Abul 
Bashar Paltu Bhai has always been by my side like a shadow and encouraged me to stay well, keeping 
my family and my morale intact. The N/A program has introduced me to religious observance. So, 
maybe God forgave me. Gave me back my health. At the age of one year of  my recovery, I got a job, 
which I started and I am still working on APOSH. I am currently working as a Manager‐Program in the 
PWID  project  implementing  by  APOSH  and  funded  by  the  Global  Fund.  Even  today, I am working as a 
beacon of light to bring back the people to a healthy life who lost them in darkness. My only goal is to 
bring back helpless people to the path of light who are drowning in the deep sea of darkness where as 
they can lead a happy life with their families. 
 
Particular Moment for Bad Feeling: 
My mother had a major operation when I took drugs. Due to the complications  of  the  operation,  my 
mother did not regain consciousness. In this case, the doctor gave 72 hours. After 48 hours, my father 
came to see our mother with us. Tears in the eyes of all my close  relatives  including  my  brother. 
   
 
Everyone is crying but I didn't cry that day. Because at that time I used to steal expensive medicines and 
injections  and  sell  them  and  get  intoxicated.  Mother  survived  that  journey  and  is  still  alive  today  but 
feels very bad, guilt is born, if mother had died that day, I could never have forgiven myself. In fact, we 
are so helpless to this destructive drug!!!! 

The realization of a healthy life: 
Every child needs to be given parental time, to be his friend. The child has to take care of whether he is 
living  an  abnormal  life  or  not.  Drug  addicts  should  be  given  love  without  looking  at  him  with  hatred 
mind. Because I am a man of this society, I am no one outside the society. No one should go to taste 
intoxication out of curiosity. Not everyone has all the power. It's not right to think that I can do it, that 
someone else can. I wanted, still want; I will live like myself, not like anyone else. Intoxication did not 
allow me to do that. Repeatedly he wanted to drive me like it’s way. It wanted me to become lifeless, to 
become  fragile  and  I  always  wanted  bright  light,  energetic  and  sparkling  life.  It  was  this  contrast  that 
saved me. Life has reached the path of the possibility of a bright future. I don't like darkness. But a drug 
addict is just a worshiper of darkness. There will be sorrow in  every  life,  there  will  be  pain,  but  it  is 
foolish to think that he will escape from everything by getting drugs. Like throwing a rock in a pond, a 
wave wakes up but disappears for a while. So I say sorry, let the pain go at its own way. Do not go to the 
dam with intoxication otherwise it will gradually become stronger. As we can learn from the technique 
of  generating  hydroelectricity.  I  am  a  very  ordinary  person.  I  never  had  ambitions.  I  have  to  be  this;  I 
have to do this. My parents have always told me to be a good human. Now I am pursuing that. I pray to 
the  creator  that  ‘Allah  help  me  to  live  a  drug  free  life  till  death  and  at  the  same  time,  give  back  the 
healthy life to the brothers and sisters who are on the path of death (drug addicts).’’ 
 
S.M. Abdullah‐Al‐Reza 
Manager‐Program, NFM‐3 
Ashokta Punarbashan Shongstha (APOSH), Rajshahi. 
Mobile: 01710‐441272