More than one-third inmates in BD jails linked to drug cases

Imagine there is none behind bars in Bangladesh for committing drug-related crimes.

Then there would be a one-third fall in total number of prisoners in the country's jails which are currently crammed with over twice the number of inmates than their actual holding capacity.

There are 68 jails in the country with capacity to house 36,614 prison population but as many as 77,124 prisoners are currently staying there. And, over a third of this huge prison population is comprised of inmates (27,764) related to drug cases.

These official statistics are just stark reminders of the fact that the narcotic substances have emerged as a menace in Bangladesh society and many people are getting involved in crimes related to drugs these days.

Besides, once landed in prisons many of these drug-case jailbirds continue taking narcotic substances in one way or the other - in cases with a section of jail guards aiding them.

Over the past one year, the prison authorities in Bangladesh took punitive actions against as many as 20 jail guards - that include initiating departmental proceedings to job dismissals - for abetting illegal drug-trade thrive inside the jails.

Speaking at inaugural programme of the Prison Week-2018 at Kashimpur Central Jail in Gazipur on Tuesday, President Abdul Hamid asked prison authorities to keep vigil on prisoners so that they cannot take drugs and run drug business in jails.

"A large number of prisoners are in jail in drug-related cases. Prison authorities have to take stern actions so that addicts or drug peddlers can't take drugs and run drug business in prisons," said the President.

Abdul Hamid said strong surveillance is needed so that no one from the prison administration can get involved in such unethical activities, reports UNB.