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After 14 years of construction, Khulna’s new prison has been inaugurated, marking a major expansion of the city’s correctional infrastructure.
A shortage of personnel means the facility will initially house only 100 sentenced inmates, while operations at the old jail will continue.
On Saturday, Mohammad Munir Hussain, the district jail officer, said: “The government has decided in principle to keep both prisons operational. For now, the existing staff will manage both facilities.”
Khulna’s first jail was built in 1912 along the Bhairab River, with a capacity for 678 inmates. At present, it holds more than 1,400 prisoners in its 113-year-old structure, posing serious safety risks -- prompting the construction of the new facility.
The new prison comprises 57 buildings, including 11 dedicated solely to inmate housing, and has the capacity to accommodate 4,000 prisoners. Initially, infrastructure has been prepared for 2,000, with plans to expand further through separate projects if needed.
District Jail Superintendent Nasir Uddin Pradhan said, “We submitted a request for 600 staff members, but currently only 208 are available. An additional 44 personnel have been deployed. These staff will operate both prisons for the time being.”
Under the plan, prisoners from Khulna’s nine Upazilas will be held in the new jail, while inmates from Khulna city will remain at the old facility. Convicted and remand prisoners will be kept separately, with distinct barracks for juveniles and separate facilities for women, including a hospital, motivation centre, and work shed.
The project covers over 12 hectares in Asankhali, near Joy Bangla Mor on Khulna City Bypass. Land acquisition began in the 2012-13 fiscal year, costing Tk 26.55 million from 412 owners.
Despite multiple delays, two revisions, and rising costs now at Tk 288 million, the project has formally been marked complete on paper since June last year, though work is ongoing.