NEW DHAKA CENTRAL JAIL: Why this relocation if inmates still face congestion, NHRC chair asks

National Human Rights Commission chairman Kazi Reazul Hoque on Tuesday raised questions about the utility of relocating the Dhaka Central Jail from Nazimudidn Road to Keraniganj as he said the inmates still were staying in congested rooms.
‘There are 7,500 inmates today when the capacity is for 4,590… Why then is this relocation to such an open space if the inmates are still in congested room?’ he asked while talking to reporters after visiting the newly opened Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj.
He said the inmates were still being deprived of their rights when Tk 400 crore was spent for the new jail.
Reazul said he found many irregularities in the jail, especially its faulty construction and planning.
He said the visitor’s room had many problems, the inmates were being served food late while there was question about standard of the food, gas connection for cooking was not yet set up, electricity supply was being disrupted and there was no mosque for the inmates.
The NHRC chairman said the inmates were mostly under trial although it was planned that only convicted inmates would be kept there.
There were only 2,000 convicts among 7,500 inmates now in the jail, he said.
Reazul said still some people were in the jail as there was confusion over the tenure of life-term jail that came up for discussion recently.
He urged the authorities to settle the issue immediately and release them who had already served their term.
Asked about his opinion over the tenure of life-term jail, Reazul said he was not in a position to
talk about the matter as it was a legal issue.
The NHRC chairman called on the government to take initiative about the release of the foreign nationals, who were in jail over visa and passport related cases, upon consultation with the countries they belonged.
The newly constructed Dhaka Central Jail was opened on July 29. It was constructed on a land of around 194 acres, expending over Tk 400 crore. The 200-year-old Dhaka Central Jail at Nazimuddin Road was relocated to the new site.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net