IN the wake of alarmingly increasing criminal activities inside the prisons, Home Minister on Wednesday directed the Inspector General of Prisons to curb unlawful activities, irregularities and corruption inside the jails. The alarming number of corruption, irregularities, and crimes has defeated its slogan: “We shall keep you safe and guide you towards enlightenment”. Ideally, prisons should be a centre of correction but in Bangladesh convicted and accused serve jail term together and after release the innocents become criminal. Moreover, criminals have established influence inside the jail and run unauthorized drug business, extortion and killing mission staying inside the jail.
One example is enough to explain the real condition inside the jails. In Chattogram Central Jail a prisoner brutally killed another inmate a few days ago. The Security Services Division of the Home Ministry after an extensive investigation recently reported that prison officials are involved in corruption. In almost all jails, the law and order are very poor as drugs and narcotics are available in exchange for money. The long-term staying prisoners often misbehave with the new inmates. Vested quarters illegally collect toll in every step inside the jail and the officials, law enforcers, top criminals are involved in the deals.
According to the International Centre for Prison Studies, the total prison population of Bangladesh as of October 2016 was 78,578 against an official capacity of 36,614. In fact, the number of inmates is much more than the actual capacity of the prisons. Especially, the increasing number of political arrestees has flooded the prisons. Section 129 of Bangladesh Jail Code illustrates that there should be enough space for sleeping for the prisoners. However, prisoners often sleep in shifts.
Among the total 68 prisons across the country, only six doctors remain functioning in 5 prisons. As a result, medical needs mostly remain unattended. In reality, most of hospital beds are occupied by wealthy inmates in exchange for huge amount of money. Though every prisoner is entitled to a certain amount of food, in fact the prisoners often do not get enough food to eat.
In Bangladesh; prisons are yet to become correction centres. It’s an open secret that criminals run the prisons with muscle and money-power.
