Chittagong Central Jail launches intercom service to improve inmate visits

Modern technology is set to ease the long-standing difficulties faced by inmates in the dilapidated and chaotic visitation room of Chittagong Central Jail. For the first time, an intercom telephone system will be introduced, replacing the familiar scene of shouting across iron mesh partitions that has persisted since the British colonial era.

The pilot project is being implemented with funding from the Alhaj Shamsul Hoque Foundation, enabling prisoners to speak with their relatives clearly and privately. If all goes as planned, the District Commissioner of Chittagong will inaugurate the system next week.

Sources say that while the jail has a capacity of 2,249 inmates, it currently houses an average of over 6,000 prisoners daily. 

With several times more inmates than it was designed for, communication with family members under the current system has become extremely difficult. Multiple people speaking simultaneously often prevent one another from being heard, causing significant distress from a humanitarian perspective.

To address this challenge, the installation of 32 intercom units has begun, allowing 16 inmates to speak at the same time. Of these, 12 booths are allocated for male prisoners and four for female prisoners. The modern system is expected to be operational within a few days following the District Commissioner's inauguration.

Project organizers noted that although intercom systems exist in prisons in developed countries, this is the first initiative of its kind at Chittagong Central Jail. 

Previously, inmates were allowed to meet their relatives twice a month for 30 minutes each, but urgent conversations were often incomplete due to the chaos. With the intercom, prisoners will be able to sit across the glass walls and talk via telephone, ensuring mental comfort while also modernizing security measures.

If the model proves successful in Chattogram, the prison authorities plan to expand this service to other prisons across the country.

Engineer Mu. Nasir Uddin, a private prison inspector and chairman of the Alhaj Shamsul Haque Foundation, described the current visitation room conditions at Chittagong Central Jail as extremely inhumane. 

He said that when prisoners stand about two feet apart on either side of the iron mesh to speak with their relatives, the loud shouting and commotion make it impossible to hear each other clearly. Even though inmates are allowed two visits per month, each lasting 30 minutes, urgent conversations often go unfulfilled due to the noise.

This chaotic situation is present across all three floors of the jail, affecting both the general public and inmates. To make humane communication easier, the intercom system was proposed, and the prison authorities have responded positively, supporting its implementation.

Senior District Superintendent of Jail Md. Iqbal Hossain told TBS that the higher prison authorities have already approved the installation of the intercom system. "This project has been undertaken primarily to facilitate clear communication for people visiting prisoners. Under the current system, inmates and visitors must shout, and often neither party can hear or understand the other clearly. The intercom system is expected to provide a long-term solution to this problem," he said.

Deputy Inspector General of Prisons Md. Sagir Mia stated that the intercom system at Chittagong Central Jail is being introduced as a pilot project for the first time. The main objective is to ensure that inmates can speak with their relatives comfortably without any disturbance. If the pilot proves successful and citizen-friendly, it could be expanded to other prisons in the country. He believes the modern communication system will create a positive environment for inmates.

Previously, in 2017, the 'Swajan' project allowed inmates limited mobile phone conversations. However, the new intercom system in the visitation room is expected to play a more effective role in maintaining inmates' social and family bonds.

Senior prison officials believe that this digital transformation will help turn the jail not merely into a detention center but into a proper correctional facility.

Online Appointment System for Visitors

To further modernize and simplify inmate visits, the Alhaj Shamsul Hoque Foundation has submitted a formal proposal to the Inspector General of Prisons (IG Prison) to introduce an online appointment system.

Currently, elderly visitors, women, and ordinary family members face extreme hardship standing in long queues to meet inmates. 

This digital initiative aims to address those difficulties. Once implemented, it will help control excessive crowds and maintain order and security within the prison.

Under the proposed system, visitors will be able to book visiting slots in advance via a website or mobile app, paying a fixed fee. This will eliminate the need to arrive early and wait in long lines, allowing visitors to meet inmates at their scheduled time.

Chittagong Central Jail will serve as a model for this pilot project. If successful, the online service will be extended to other prisons in Bangladesh.

Authorities believe that this technology-driven system will make the visitation process transparent while reducing unnecessary congestion inside the jail. 

The primary aim is to make communication between inmates and their relatives more humane and hassle-free. Officials say that if the digital transformation succeeds, it will improve overall prison management and alleviate the long-standing hardships faced by the public.