Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan claimed on Tuesday that law enforcers had arrested 95 prisoners after 826 inmates of Narsingdi district jail broke free on Friday.
He attributed the jailbreak and subsequent extremist activities to a group, opposed to the Liberation War, active since early July.
Kazi Nazmul Islam, president of Narsingdi Lawyers Samity, reported that at least 136 prisoners surrendered to the court on the same day.
During a press briefing after visiting the Narsingdi district jail in the afternoon, minister Asaduzzaman detailed the group鈥檚 involvement in setting state establishments on fire, including Setu Bhaban, which houses information on the elevated expressway and Padma Bridge.
鈥楾heir motive is to bring down the government and keep the country unstable,鈥� he added.
The minister also announced the formation of a three-member probe committee by the prison authorities to investigate the incident. Additionally, a six-member probe body, headed by a senior secretary of the home ministry, was formed. Both committees were asked to submit their reports within ten working days.
In response to the incident, Narsingdi district jail superintendent Abul Kalam Azad and jailer Amrul Islam were suspended for negligence of duty, according to deputy commissioner Badiul Alam.
The jailbreak occurred at about 4:00pm on Friday amidst chaotic demonstrations outside the jail, located along the Dhaka-Sylhet highway.
Protesters set government offices ablaze, blocked the highway, and confined local ruling Awami League leaders to their residences.
The inmates set fire to the jail before breaking through the main entrance and escaping in large numbers.