Govt to build more prisons across country: IG Prison

DHAKA, May 17, 2018 (BSS) - The government has undertaken a number of projects to build prisons to facilitate accommodation of additional prisoners across the country.

Inspector General of Prisons Brigadier General Syed Iftekhar Uddin told reporters after visiting the construction work of Madaripur prison yesterday.

"Re-building of prison is urgently needed", Iftekhar said, adding that the number of prisoners across the country stood at around 82,000 while the existing prisons have the capacity to accommodate 36,614 inmates.

Some prisons are accommodating five to six times prisoners beyond their capacity, he said, adding for that reason, new prisons are being created through land acquisition to increase their capacities in many districts.

Moreover, old prisons are being renovated to solve the accommodation problem of prisoners, Iftekhar said, hoping that this problem will come to a tolerable level by the next years.

Madaripur District Administrator Md Wahidul Islam, Civil Surgeon Farid Hossain, Police Super Md Sarwar Hossain and Madaripur District Jail Super Md Shahidul Islam were present.