Unfinished work delays shifting of Sylhet central jail to new premises
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SYLHET, Dec 28: The much-talked about move to shift the 200-year old Sylhet Central Jail to its new location, suburban Badaghat, area has failed again. Delayed construction of different buildings and other structures is the main reason for the failure. Besides, some finishing works are to be completed yet. The sewage treatment plant also remained unfinished.
However, PWD's Executive Engineer, Sylhet Shaikh Mizanur Rahman told this correspondent on Thursday, "We are trying to complete the work by March. He said for some unavoidable reasons and contractors' negligence had been delayed. Prolonged and excess rains had also disrupted the work months ago.
Sources in the PWD and Sylhet central Jail said the new jail would be of 2000-men capacity. Works on the under construction buildings got a speedy way after the finance minister, also the lawmaker from Sylhet Sadar ordered for quick completion of the long-awaited project, which had already been delayed several times for reasons.
The existing Sylhet central Jail was established on 24.67 acres land at the city's central area Dhopadighirpar in 1789 when the Sylhet region was part of Assam. Now to meet the present day's demand it is being shifted on a bigger space with sufficient accommodation after 227 years from the city areas. It would have some modern facilities on all the establishments.
The existing jail buildings with 800-men capacity always remained over burdened accommodating about 2,500 people, sources informed.
Considering the present situation, the ECNEC passed the project in 2010 and accordingly its foundation was laid on 11 August next year on the 30-acre site at Badaghat. Although it was scheduled to be completed by 2015, new deadline was reset for June 2016. But even then, the PWD had completed only 70 percent works before getting another year till June 2017. Last of all, the Finance minister at a meeting months ago asked for completing everything by the end of 2017 and to shift it by December. It had also been failed.
64 buildings are there, including four for male prisoners and three for the female ones. The male-ones are of six-storied and female ones include one four-storied and the others are two-storied.