BANGLADESH Strange Silence on Dacca Drugs Ban Vimal Balasubrahmanyan THE strange silence of the World Health Organisation (WHO) regarding Dacca's initiative in banning over 1,700 unnecessary and harmful drugs has caused disappointment among supporters of the ban. The Bangladesh government's Drugs Ordinance announced on June 12 has understandably aroused the ire of the multinationals. Their lobbying, backed by the ambassadors of UK, the US, West Germany and Holland in Bangladesh, had resulted in the appoint- ment in July of a panel of military doctors to 'review' the ban. Progressive groups in the West have in the meanwhile come out in strong support of the ban and have tried to mount a counter-attack aimed at persuading the government not to withdraw or amend its earlier announced ban. With the hotting up of efforts from both sides, what is disconcerting supporters of the ban is WHO's noncommittal attitude in the matter.
