Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Thursday called upon the families of drug addicts to bring them under proper treatment without hiding the information.

The minister addressing as the chief guest the inauguration ceremony of a 60-bed state-of-the-art drug rehabilitation centre, “OASIS” at Keraniganj, on the outskirt of Dhaka built under the initiative of Bangladesh Police Welfare Trust.

"What will happen to those who are addicted to drugs? We want to treat them, bring them back to a healthy normal life. If any member of the family is addicted to drugs, bring them under proper treatment without hiding,” he said.

"We are working to reduce the supply, demand and harmful effects of drugs. That is why everyone has to come forward," he said.

Asaduzzman said that drugs are not made in the country. “But we are victims of its horrors. We have seen the consequences if we do not stop the youth from using drugs,” he said.

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He said that under the leadership of the prime minister, the government succeeded in the fight against militancy and terrorism.

Appreciating the initiative to set up the "Oasis" the minister called upon the rich people to take such initiatives too.

In his speech Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed said "Rich-poor regardless I have seen a horrible picture of the suffering of families with drug addicts. I have seen the established people of the society secretly shed tears.”

He said, according to many, the number of drug addicts in Bangladesh is 80 lakh. Some say that number has exceeded one crore. There are 7,000 medical facilities under their public and private management. “Then how many years it will take to treat them?. With these aspects in mind, we have taken the initiative to set up a modern drug addiction treatment and mental health counselling centre,” he added.

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He said, "In future, we want to build a hospital with five hundred to one thousand beds in a large area on the banks of Kaliganga river in Manikganj." In this case, we want to be a regional hub”

Chaired by Benazir , who is also chairman of Bangladesh Police Welfare Trust, the programme was also addressed among others, by Health Minister Zahid Maleque, Director General of the Directorate of Health Services (DGHS) Prof Dr Abul Basar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, Additional Director General of the Department of Narcotics Control Md. Azizul Islam.