"We have to find what more we can do to prevent HIV/AIDS," he said at a seminar on 'Preventing an HIV epidemic among IDUs in Bangladesh' in the city.

Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) in Dhaka have a high prevalence rate of HIV and it would rise dramatically if no steps are taken immediately in this regard, he said, adding that the IDUs play a major role in spreading the HIV infection.

The ICDDR,B organised the scientific seminar to mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2007. The objective of the seminar was to examine available national and international information to assess what more can be done to prevent the escalation of the HIV epidemic.

Prof Matiur Rahman was the chief guest while Director General of the Department of Narcotics Control Mohammad Shamsul Islam, Line Director of National AIDS/ STD Programme Dr SM Mustafa Anower, Australian High Commissioner Douglas Foskett and Acting Head of DFID Sarah Sanyahumbi were also present.

"In the present system, the drug abusers and traffickers are taken to the police custody directly. The police find it difficult to manage them during their withdrawal. So, the police are not interested to take the abusers to the custody," said Mustafa Anwar.

The system should be changed in such a way so that the drug abusers could be admitted to the hospital first and at the same time they should be notified to the court, he said, adding that they would be shifted to the court only after being managed or controlled in the hospital.

The speakers also said that HIV prevalence is high in some concentrated areas. At the same time, the rate of using condoms among sex workers is very low and they are one of the vulnerable groups, they said.

They also called for raising awareness among the teenage boys and girls to prevent the spread of the disease.