Bogura jail: Renovation request sent to Public Works Department several times

The Bogura prison authorities sent several letters to the Public Works Department over the last one year requesting it to renovate the condemned cell, which is more than 140 years old and has housed death row inmates.

The issue is also being given significant importance in the investigation of the escape of four death-row inmates from the district prison last week, officials told TBS.

The four death row inmates escaped by making a hole in the roof of their cell but were arrested by the police after around an hour. Later, a six-member investigation committee was formed by the district administration.

The district prison was constructed in 1883 on the banks of the Karatoa River in the central areas of Jaleshwari Tala and Maltinagar in Bogura town. Built on 14.5 acres, the prison has a capacity for 720 inmates, including 683 men and 37 women. However, there are currently more than 1,700 inmates in the prison.

Before the inmates escaped, there were 26 prisoners in the condemned cell of the district prison. Among them, 10 were sentenced to death, and 16 were militants and dangerous prisoners. Named Jaflong, this is the oldest building in the prison.

Colonel Sheikh Sujaur Rahman, additional inspector general of prisons, told TBS the Jaflong building was constructed by using lime and brick dust.

"Due to its age, water leaks from the roof into the rooms. The roof's thickness is 9 to 10 inches. Taking all these factors into consideration, the prison authorities have sent multiple letters to the Public Works Department over the past year requesting its renovation. However, no action has been taken."

AHM Shahriar, executive engineer of Bogura Public Works Department, told TBS, "We regularly carry out prison renovations. However, the roof of the building does not fall under regular renovations. The matter is being investigated, and the details will be included in the report."

Bogura Deputy Commissioner Md Saiful Islam told TBS, "I was not informed in advance about any issues related to the district prison. I also did not know that the roof of the condemned cell was made of lime and brick dust; I thought it was made of reinforced concrete."

He added, "If the prison authorities have indeed sent letters to the Public Works Department, then it will be investigated why the renovations were not carried out. This matter is being investigated with the utmost importance and caution."