The jail authorities on Tuesday said that 900 inmates out of 2,000 who fled breaking jails before and after the fall of Sheikh Hasina government were still roaming outside while the rest of the inmates either surrendered or were arrested by law enforcement agencies.
鈥極ver 2,000 inmates fled from several jails during the student-led mass uprising and after the fall of the then government on August 5. Now, 900 of them are still out of jails,鈥� inspector general of prisons Brigadier聽 General Syed Md Motaher Hossain made the disclosure at a view exchange meeting with journalists at the Prisons Directorate in the city.聽
The IG prison said that about 1,100 escaping inmates either surrendered or were arrested by the members of law enforcement agencies.
He said that eight separate cases were filed over eight jail breaking incidents.
Asked about how many much-talked-about criminals were released from jail, Motaher said that a total of 43 much-talked-about listed criminals were freed from jail securing bail.
He also said that 70 militants were freed from jails in the country.
The IG prison claimed that 94 different聽types of weapons were looted from jails and聽29 of them were yet to recover.
At least 15,000 protesters were sent to jail during the student-led mass uprising, Motaher said, adding that all of them now are freed.
Motaher said that they started reforming the jails, including improving food, accommodation and treatments.
It has started listing corruption and irregularities conducted by previous officials, the directorate said, adding that they would be brought to book after investigation.
He claimed that they had 37 special and political prisoners and nine of them got divisions.
Motaher said that any government officials聽got divisions after entering jails but political and prominent persons of the country required applications for receiving divisions.
He said that their reforms would also address issues such as overloaded jails against capacity, lack of manpower, weak structures and outsiders鈥� intervention in jails.
He said that no drug addict officials or staff could perform duties in jails from now on.
Additional IG Prisons Colonel Sheikh Sujaur Rahman, Deputy inspector general of Prisons Headquarters Monir Ahmed, AIG Prisons for admin Abu Taleb and AIG prisons for development Jannat Ul Forhad, among others, were present.
The students-led mass uprising forced Sheikh Hasina to resign as prime minister and flee to India on August 5.
On July 19, over 900 inmates of the Narshingdi district jail broke free as complete anarchy descended on the district, where angry protesters set government offices on fire, blocked the Dhaka-Sylhet highway and confined the then local ruling Awami League leaders to their residences.
The jail break occurred at around 4:00pm amidst a frenzied demonstration going on in front of the jail located along Dhaka-Sylhet highway.