Gulam Rabbani :
Thousands of prisoners are brought regularly in the courts across the country for their appearance in different cases. They are brought at a particular time from the jails, but produced in the court only when its proceedings start. Before starting of the court proceedings, the prisoners have to stay in a lock-up room on the court premises.
But situation of the most lock-up centers on the court premises is inhuman as there is no resting place, usable sanitation system and potable water. So, the Lawyers suggested for modernisation of the lock up centers on the court premises.
On condition of anonymity an ex-prisoner who was taken to the lock ups different times during his court appearances said, “Condition of the lock ups of the courts is totally inhuman. There is no good arrangement even for sitting and sanitation. The worst conditions of prisoner life can be seen there.”
He alleges that spending money brings some added benefits. When a prisoner is detained in the lock up spend money, the security personnel then make an arrangement to meet the relatives.
Senior Supreme Court lawyer Khandker Mahbub Hossain said, “Prisoners are treated very inhumanely in our country. They have to face this inhuman situation even while appearing in the courts. Especially the lock ups where the prisoners are kept initially before producing in the courts are very fragile. This situation needs improvement.”
Barrister Syed Mahsib Hossain said, the lock up centers of the courts are regulated by the police department, while the other prisons are under the prisons department, which causing a mismanagement. The authorities should take initiatives to provide enough facilities to the detained persons here, added the lawyer.
Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique has taken an initiative of setting up restroom on the premises of every District and Session Judge’s Courts and other relevant courts to alleviate the sufferings of the justice-seeking people. A restroom for the justice-seeking people is under construction on the Supreme Court campus.
The chief justice has instructed to name of these restrooms as ‘Nyaykunja’. According to the Supreme Court source, Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique has opined to set up a restroom for at least 100 people in each District and Session Judge’s Court and for 40-50 people in every Chowki Court.
The restrooms will have separate units for men and women, separate room for breastfeeding mothers, two toilets in each unit, arrangement for potable water in every unit and a mini stationery shop. Lawyers hope that the authorities will take initiatives for improvement of the lock ups like restrooms project.
