7 accused escaped from Dhaka courts in 6 years

An accused in a murder case was seen casually walking out of the Dhaka court premises. He was not handcuffed or tied with a rope around his waist. His demeanour was no different from that of other people leaving the premises.

The incident, which took place on 6 October, was captured on CCTV footage. The escapee was identified as Shariful Islam. He had previously escaped from the Dhaka court premises on 19 June 2025.

Shariful is not the only accused to have escaped. Between 2021 and 2026, a total of seven accused fled from Dhaka courts. There was also one incident in which an accused was snatched away from police custody. Most recently, on Tuesday afternoon, accused Md Kawsar Mia removed his handcuffs and escaped from the dock of the Dhaka Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court-1.

These incidents have raised questions about security arrangements at court premises.

Constable Abdul Alim was responsible for the security of Shariful, the murder case accused who escaped on 6 October.

Following the incident, the Prosecution Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said Shariful had removed the handcuffs secured to the dock and fled, taking advantage of the constable's inattentiveness.

Constable Alim has been suspended, and an investigation committee has been formed.

On the previous occasion, Shariful had escaped while being taken from the court to the police lock-up after assaulting a police officer. He is from Dinajpur. His father's name is Shafik Ahmed. He is accused in a murder case filed with Khilgaon police station in the capital.

Kawsar Mia, who escaped on Tuesday, is an accused in a murder case filed with Dakshinkhan police station in Dhaka. Ripon Molla, in-charge of the lock-up at the Metropolitan Court, told Prothom Alo that Kawsar had been placed in the dock with handcuffs on but managed to remove them and escape.

Kawsar is from Netrokona. His father's name is Ruku Mia.

On 17 February 2025, Shahidul Islam, an accused in a rape case, escaped from the premises of the Dhaka Chief Judicial Magistrate Court. He had been brought to court for a hearing. He was arrested a month after the incident.

Earlier, on 16 November 2024, Arifur Rahman, an accused in a robbery case filed with Hatirjheel police station, escaped from the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court.

On 28 April 2022, Badsha Mia, who had been sentenced to death for the murder of Manikganj college student Monir Hossain, was brought to a Dhaka court to testify in another case. He managed to escape that day. Earlier, on 23 March that year, Saiful Islam, an accused in a drug case, escaped from the court lock-up.

On the morning of 23 February 2021, Harunur Rashid, an accused in a robbery case, escaped while being taken to the lock-up at the Dhaka Chief Judicial Magistrate Court. Following the incident, eight police personnel, including Sub-Inspector Badruzzaman, who was in charge of the lock-up, were withdrawn from their duties.

In another incident, two extremists were snatched away from a Dhaka court on 20 November 2022. It was later found that security protocols had not been followed when the extremists were brought to and taken away from the court. These included handcuffing both their hands and making them wear bulletproof vests and helmets.

According to sources at the court lock-up and the Prosecution Division, the number of police personnel assigned to escort accused persons to and from court is inadequate.

Around 500 accused are brought before the Dhaka Judge Court and the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court every day. A total of 438 police personnel are assigned to ensure their security and escort them to and from court. However, more police personnel have to be deployed to provide security to politically important individuals. As a result, there is a shortage of personnel to escort accused persons in other cases.

According to the police personnel, old handcuffs can be removed easily. They say new handcuffs and additional police personnel are needed.

However, people associated with the courts say some police personnel sometimes allow accused persons to talk to their relatives while being moved between the court dock, lock-up and prison vans in exchange for special favours. Accused persons are also sometimes allowed to use mobile phones. They have also been seen receiving food and clothes brought by relatives.

They further say unrestricted access to court premises is another security concern. There are allegations that street vendors and pickpockets frequently move around different court premises in Dhaka. The number of CCTV cameras should also be increased.

Mohiuddin Mahmud Sohel, deputy commissioner of the DMP Prosecution Division, told Prothom Alo, "Our main problem is a shortage of human resources. We have plans to develop a specially trained police force. There are also plans to increase the number of CCTV cameras on court premises."

Omar Faruq Faruqi, public prosecutor at the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court, also believes police personnel need to be more vigilant.

He said skilled and alert police officers should be deployed at the courts.