Three new jails proposed in Chattogram as inmates hold up to three times capacity

Infographic TBS

The Chattogram divisional prison authorities have proposed building three new prisons in Chattogram and a separate detention facility for Rohingya inmates in Cox's Bazar to ease severe overcrowding and prevent different categories of offenders from mixing.

The proposals also call for specialised facilities to separately house drug-case accused, metropolitan-area offenders and prisoners from rural areas.

Authorities have suggested acquiring or allocating 50-70 acres of government land in Patiya, Karnaphuli or Anwara for three new prisons. This would reduce the need to transfer prisoners from southern Chattogram to the central jail. The existing central jail could then accommodate prisoners from northern Chattogram.

Chattogram Divisional Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Prisons Md Sagir Mia recently sent separate letters to the inspector general of prisons and the Chattogram divisional commissioner outlining the proposals.

Officials said four new prisons were opened in Gazipur and three in Keraniganj between 2001 and 2020, while no new prison was built in Chattogram despite rising population and crime.

The Chattogram Central Jail was built in 1885 on 14.40 acres of land in Laldighi of the port city. A project to expand its capacity and infrastructure was taken up in 1990, with new facilities inaugurated in 2011.

However, the jail now houses nearly three times its official capacity.

Built to accommodate 2,249 inmates, the facility currently holds more than 6,000 people on average. Nearly 30-35% of the inmates are accused in drug-related cases, creating severe pressure on both inmates and prison officials as the facility is facing a shortage of manpower.

The jail currently has one senior jail superintendent, one jailer, three deputy jailers, 15 head warders, 30 assistant head warders, 351 warders and 11 female warders.

Three specialised prisons proposed

Following the separation of the metropolitan and district judicial systems, the Chattogram Central Jail has been housing metropolitan, district and drug-case inmates together.

Officials say keeping these groups together creates risks of criminal networking and the transfer of criminal practices between offenders. To address the issue, prison authorities have proposed three new facilities.

The proposed "Chattogram Central Jail-2" would be dedicated to drug-related inmates. Authorities have sought 50-70 acres of land near the city for the facility, where drug offenders could receive treatment and rehabilitation.

A separate Chattogram Central Jail-3 has been proposed for inmates from the Chattogram metropolitan area. The number of metropolitan-area inmates is around 3,000, most of them awaiting trial.

Officials have suggested allocating at least 200 acres of government-owned land in Jungle Salimpur, Sitakunda, for the facility.

A third facility, Chattogram Central Jail-4, has been proposed for prisoners from southern Chattogram, including those involved in cases before courts in Patiya, Banshkhali and Satkania.

Separate jail proposed for Rohingya inmates

Cox's Bazar District Jail is also struggling with severe overcrowding. Although its capacity is nearly 850, the jail currently houses about 2,600 inmates, or more than three times its capacity, according to prison authorities.

Around 450 inmates are Rohingya, Myanmar nationals, Indians and other foreign nationals, with Rohingya inmates making up the majority. Foreign nationals account for about 17% of the jail's total inmates.

Authorities say there is no adequate system to completely separate Rohingya and Bangladeshi inmates. Although separate blocks exist for foreign inmates, limited space means they come into contact with other prisoners at different times.

The prison authorities have proposed a separate detention facility in Cox's Bazar for Rohingya inmates to reduce the risk of criminal networks spreading among local and foreign prisoners.

Cox's Bazar District Jail Superintendent Obayadar Rahman told TBS that the overcrowding has become a major challenge for prison management.

"Improving prison infrastructure and management is necessary to overcome the situation," he said, adding that proposals have already been submitted to the authorities.

DIG Sagir Mia said, "The old central jail will be used for prisoners from Chattogram district. Keeping different categories of inmates separately will reduce their opportunities to communicate and exchange criminal ideas."

He added that a new prison in Jungle Salimpur under Sitakunda upazila is also being considered for metropolitan area inmates.

Chattogram Divisional Commissioner D Md Zia Uddin said the overcrowding and security challenges at the Chattogram and Cox's Bazar prisons had been raised several times at meetings of the home ministry.

He said the government has shown a positive attitude towards improving prison management and has given importance to addressing the capacity crisis in Chattogram.

Potential land in Jungle Salimpur has already been identified, he said. However, a pending legal case and the need to rehabilitate affected families have delayed the formal proposal.

"Once the rehabilitation process is completed, the formal process for establishing the new prison will move forward," he said.

Senior lawyer and Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik Chattogram district general secretary Advocate Akhtar Kabir Chowdhury said prisons should be treated as correctional facilities rather than merely places of punishment.

A significant portion of inmates are awaiting trial and may eventually be acquitted, he said.

"Before a trial is completed, treating anyone as a criminal is contrary to law and human rights," he said, stressing the need to ensure adequate living space and humane conditions for inmates.

"Relying on British-era prison infrastructure is no longer enough to meet current demand. There is no alternative to building new prisons and expanding existing facilities," he added.