Over 77,000 inmates as prisons capacity exceed by 180pc

More than 77,000 inmates are currently staying at 70 prisons across the country against the capacity of about 43,000 inmates, thus housing 180 per cent or 34,400 more inmates than the official capacity.

Officials at the Department of Prisons said the number of inmates increased following the arrests in various criminal cases including the lawsuit over the casualties in the July mass pursing.

There were 88,000 inmates in all prisons across the country until 4 August 2024, the day before the ouster of the Awami League government through the mass uprising, according to the Department of Prisons.

The number dropped to 49,000 on 12 August following the fall of the government, but the figure rose to 55,825 until 21 October last year, and lastly, the number of inmates increased to 77,291 as of 28 July.

Speaking about this, several officials of the law enforcement agencies and the prisons department told Prothom Alo, law enforcement agencies detained people indiscriminately at the instruction of the government during the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement to suppress the movement. So, prisons saw a rise in the number of inmates. Policing collapsed after the fall of the Awami League government. As fewer lawyers also presented at courts, the accused were granted bail once the petition was filed. That is why the number of inmates decreased.

According to them, later on, the law and order situation started improving. Joint forces and police launched drives. More accused were arrested in the cases filed over the casualties of the mass uprising in addition to the arrests in other criminal lawsuits. Finally, the number of inmates continued to rise.

According to the Department of Prisons, as of 28 July, Dhaka Central Jail housed 8,536 prisoners, while Kashimpur Central Jail-1 in Gazipur had 1,457 inmates. Kashimpur Central Jail-2 held 3,642 prisoners, and the Kashimpur High Security Central Jail had 2,440. There were 5,404 inmates in the Chattogram Central Jail, followed by Rajshahi Central Jail with 2,686, Mymensingh Central Jail with 2,249, and Khulna District Jail with 1,410 inmates.

According to data from the Police Headquarters and the Department of Prisons, 114 politicians have been arrested in connection with cases filed over casualties during the mass uprising. The arrested include 32 former ministers and state ministers and 47 Members of Parliament (MPs). Besides, 62 police officers, including senior officials, 28 civil servants, seven journalists, and three businessmen have been detained. They are currently being held in various prisons, with 153 of them enjoying division status.

Other than these, the specific number of arrests made across the country over the July mass uprising could not be known. However, a source at Police Headquarters said a total of 3,531 cases have been filed against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, members of her family, former ministers and state ministers, former MPs, mayors, and Awami League leaders and activists.

Police data also shows that nationwide crackdowns led to the arrests of 28,400 people in April; 45,277 in May; and 42,383 in June of this year. These people were arrested in cases related to the uprising and other criminal cases.

In addition to police operations, joint forces have also carried out arrests. However, many of those detained have since been released on bail.

Khondoker Rafiqul Islam, additional inspector general (crime and operations) at Police Headquarters, told Prothom Alo on 6 July that many people have been arrested in the cases filed over the casualties during the mass uprising and the arrest operations will continue until the cases are resolved.

Since the July uprising, at least 350 detainees aged over 70 have been imprisoned across various jails. Besides, around 2,500 women have been incarcerated during the same period, and more than 200 children also are staying in prisons with their mothers.

One of the elderly detainees is former MP Dabirul Islam from Thakurgaon-2 constituency (Baliadangi, Haripur, and part of Ranisankail upazilas), who is currently held in Dinajpur District Jail in a land-grabbing and extortion case.

On 3 September, Thakurgaon-based businessman and BNP leader Habibul Islam filed a case against him on allegations of demanding Tk 100 million in extortion, grabbing land, and issuing death threats. Police arrested Dabirul Islam on 2 October.

Dinajpur District Jail superintendent Md Matiar Rahman told Prothom Alo on 5 July that Dabirul Islam is ill, around 80 years old, and needs a wheelchair to move. He suffers from breathing problems and had previously undergone treatment at Bangladesh Medical University. Before his imprisonment, he had surgery on his right knee.

Further investigation revealed that many elderly and ailing individuals like Dabirul Islam are currently in custody in various prisons.

The women’s wing of the Dhaka Central Jail in Rajendrapur, Keraniganj— outside Dhaka—has been reactivated as a ‘special prison’.

This 270-capacity facility was opened on 21 June. VIP prisoners who enjoy division but face security risks will be accommodated here. Besides, the Sylhet Central Jail-2 was recently opened. With these additions, the total number of prisons in the country now stands at 70.

Inspector General of Prisons Brigadier General Syed Md Motaher Hossain told Prothom Alo on 5 July that the government has ordered the opening of five new prisons to reduce inmate pressure. Two of them have already been launched.

Although old buildings have been found for the remaining three prisons, a shortage of staff has delayed their opening. New buildings are currently under construction, and once these three prisons are operational, the pressure on the existing facilities will reduce.