Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb yesterday alleged that the former CPI(M)-led Left Front government in the state had tried to destroy the youth force of Bangladesh, a friendly nation, by aiding smuggling of drugs to that country. This is a second time in just about a week that Deb has accused the previous Manik Sarkar government of turning a blind eye to drugs trade across the border, a charge denied earlier by the Left party. Sarkar "knew everything" about the smuggling of ganja and illicit pharmaceutical drugs through the Indo-Bangla border, Deb claimed yesterday.

"Sarkar acted like the blind king Dhritarashtra and turned Tripura into a den of drug trade. It is the worst sin of all," Deb said, while inaugurating a Haj Bhavan, a lodging facility for Haj pilgrims here. Referring to Bangladesh, Deb said it opened a bridge on the river Feni at Sabroom in South district for developing Tripura as a modern state by using Chittagong port. "But left rulers aided smuggling of drugs to that country and destroyed the future of their youth force. This is not the behaviour one shows to a friendly country," Deb alleged. The Left parties praised Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in public while in reality, drugs were smuggled to destroy the youths of her country, the chief minister said. "This is their real face. Our government is not like that. We believe in Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas," he said.