A total of 690 prisoners who escaped from prisons during the unrest in Bangladesh in July 2024 remain at large, Inspector General of Prisons Brigadier General Syed Mohammad Motaher Hossain said.
A total of 2,247 prisoners escaped after several prisons were breached in 2024, of whom 690 have yet to be recaptured, he said at a press conference held at the headquarters of the Department of Prisons in Bakshibazar, Dhaka.
In particular, 826 prisoners escaped from Narsingdi District Jail, while authorities have been unable to trace the records or whereabouts of 166 of them, according to the prisons department.
In addition, nine prisoners suspected of being militants escaped from prisons. Six of them have since been arrested, while the remaining three are still at large, the prisons department said.
Motaher Hossain said Bangladesh’s prisons are currently holding more than twice their designated capacity, making overcrowding and accommodation major challenges.
“Under the current circumstances, it is not possible to keep militant prisoners separately,” he said.
He said the government’s objective was not merely to operate prisons but to establish the foundation for a modern correctional system that gives equal importance to security, the rehabilitation and reform of inmates, as well as the professional dignity, skills and welfare of prison officials and employees.
Mymensingh District Jail has been operating under a “Cashless Prison” system since June 24, which has helped create greater transparency in prison management, according to the prisons department.
The administrative structures at the headquarters and divisional levels have also been reorganised to improve the efficiency of prison administration.
To address the shortage of prison personnel, 1,899 new posts have already been approved, while a request for another 1,500 posts has been submitted to the relevant authorities.
Recruitment to the prisons department will also be made more transparent and competitive, based on merit and qualifications. Increased use of technology has helped reduce irregularities and interference by broker syndicates, while also enabling authorities to identify impersonators during different stages of the recruitment process.
The government is also opening new prisons to reduce overcrowding and improve prison management capacity. So far, two central prisons and eight district prisons have been opened.
Ref/Photo: Dhaka Tribune
