The Bangladesh government has allowed a Catholic-run de-addiction centre to use its training programs and therapy to help inmates addicted to drugs in the country’s largest prison. Holy Cross Brother Francis Nirmal Gomes, director of the Church-run Bangladesh Rehabilitation and Assistance Centre for Addicts, said the government permission came on April 7, making it an “important day” for the organization. The permission allows the centre to work in Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj, a suburb of Dhaka, the capital of the Muslim-majority nation. According to media reports, the facility has about 4,500 inmates, including several hundred drug addicts. Gomes said in a social media post that the permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs came “after many years of efforts.” The ministry also oversees the Department of Narcotics Control. He thanked the government and said it is an opportunity for the organization to offer professional support to drug-addicted prisoners. Gomes also thanked his Holy Cross Congregation for supporting him with financial assistance. His centre is among the first professional treatment and rehabilitation organizations for drug addicts in the country. Late American Holy Cross Brother Ronald Drahozal founded it in 1988. The centre has successfully rehabilitated more than 5,000 drug-addicted individuals. It also runs four centres for street children vulnerable to crimes and drug addiction. Over the years, the centre has won various awards.