Jhenidah District Jail in a sorry state

JHENIDAH, Mar 10: Jhenidah District Jail is facing a serious problem as the authority cannot ensure sufficient proper food and accommodation facilities for a large number of inmates here.
Overcrowding is obviously acute in this jail as with a capacity of 200 inmates, it is currently occupied by 784 prisoners of whom 612 are under-trials, 169 are convicts while 3 are with death sentence.
A high prison population has a direct, negative effect on the psychological state of inmates. Many prisoners languish in the prison without trial for several years already, on various charges.
Sources said only one piece of bread with 14 grams of molasses (gur) in the morning, rice with dal at noon and one piece of fish (29 grams) or meat are given to the inmates.
Though to many, the quantity of molasses and fish or meat once a day seems to be insufficient for an inmate, it is allotted for him or her by the government.
Bathrooms and toilets are very few in numbers, and the inmates have to wait for long for their turn to use the facility.
All prisoners should have the right to take part in various cultural activities and education directed to the full development of human potential. But cultural progrmmes are not regularrly held here.
Policy formulations are required to enable prisoners to undertake meaningful wage-earning jobs inside the prison, which will allow them to continue to their own financial support and to that of their family members, and facilitate their reintegration into the labour market of the country when they come out after serving their time.
Prisoners in Jhenidah jail have scope to be involved in sewing work, carpentry, packets program and training on electric items, said Jail Superintent Md. Iqbal Hossain.