Bangladesh to build country's first open jail in Cox's Bazar

The government is planning to build the country's first open jail in Bangladesh.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said this today (2 May) in reply to a query from ruling Awami League MP Mamunur Rashid Kiran elected from Noakhali-3.

"160 acres of land has been acquired in Ukhiya Upazila of Cox's Bazar district for the construction of an open jail following the model of Malaysia's Community Rehabilitation Program (CRP).

"The construction of the open jail will start soon," he added.

An open prison or open jail is any jail in which the prisoners are trusted to complete sentences with minimal supervision and perimeter security and are often not locked up in their prison cells.

In response to the question of Nizam Uddin Hazari, another ruling AL MP from Feni-2, the home minister said that 83,577 posts have been increased in the Bangladesh Police in the past three terms of the current government in order to modernise the Bangladesh Police Force.

"Recruitment of manpower to these posts has been ensured through a transparent and corruption-free process," he said.

The minister said that the process of adding two sophisticated helicopters is underway to prevent criminal activities and conduct operations and transform the Bangladesh Police into a three-dimensional force.

He said that with the aim of making the police a smart force, various types of modern firearms are being given to them.

For example, the home minister said that 7.62 mm rifles are currently being used instead of the previous .303 rifles.

Also, policemen are being supplied with necessary ammunition including 7.62/9 mm pistol, 9 mm SMG, .45 inch SMG, 12 bore shotgun, 38 mm tear gas, gas gun/launcher.

In response to the question of AL MP Mahbubur Rahman from Chattogram-1, the Home Minister said Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has been equipped with modern weapons, vehicles, aircraft and watercraft.

State-of-the-art weapons including 40 ALCOTAN, 12 ATGW, 132 Sniper Rifles, 3 AAMG, 28 APC Armours have been added to BGB.

The vehicles include 259 ATVs, 10 Riot Control Vehicles (RCV), and 40 Armoured Personal Carrier (APC), among others.

Three helicopters were also included in BGB.

Among the vessels, there are 87 speed boats, 12 high-speed engine boats, 4 air boats, 1 logistics ship, 5 pontoons, 25 motor launches, 4 petrol boats, 15 rescue boats, and 2 water carrier vessels.

In response to the question of AL MP Morshed Alam from Noakhali-2, the Home Minister said, for the first time in the country, seven grams of black cocaine was recovered by the Department of Narcotics Control on 11 December 2023.