Bangladesh News

The jail authorities yesterday moved five high-profile prisoners to different district jails from the Dhaka Central Jail as a punitive measure while three others were shifted to the prison cells from the cabins of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) hospital.

The punitive measures were taken against them for violating the jail code in various ways, including use of cellphones and ipod.

According to jail sources, Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, political adviser to former prime minister Khaleda Zia, was moved to Bogra jail, former BNP lawmakers Mossaddak Ali Falu to Panchagarh jail, Salauddin Ahmed to Bandarban jail, Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu to Lalmonirhat jail and former Jamaat-e-Islami MP Abu Taher to Narsingdi jail.

As a punitive measure, Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury was moved several times before between Kashimpur, Sylhet and Narayanganj jails for violating the jail code.

Meanwhile, former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar, former Dhaka Club president Selim Bhuiyan and former Chittagong Port Chairman Sahadat Hossain were moved to prison cells from the cabins of BSMMU.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG-Prisons) Maj Shamsul Haider Siddique yesterday told The Daily Star, “All the VIP inmates guilty of breaking the jail code have already been sent to different district jails from the Dhaka Central Jail and to prison cells from cabins.”

Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, Mossaddak Ali Falu, Salauddin Ahmed, Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu and Abu Taher were taken back to Dhaka Central Jail on Monday and Sunday from BSMMU prison cells after mobile phones, SIM cards and an ipod was seized from their possession.

On Sunday, jail authorities seized the cellphone of a BSMMU doctor when Tarique Rahman, son of Khaleda Zia, was found using it in the prison cell of the hospital. On Monday, the jail authorities decided that the prisoners who violated the jail code will have their privilege of meeting their visitors restricted.

The DIG said the authorities are also verifying the necessity of some VIP prisoners’ stay in the prison cells of the hospital.

They are also investigating the involvement of jail guards, police personnel and attendants in helping inmates break the jail code.

The authorities have already taken punitive actions against at least 15 high-profile prisoners for breaking the jail code, sources said.

Among them, former ministers air vice-marshal (retd) Altaf Hossain Choudhury and barrister Nazmul Huda, and former state minister Aman Ullah Aman were sent to Narayanganj jail. Former minister Mirza Abbas was sent back to Dhaka jail from Apollo Hospital for breaking the jail code, the sources said.

Mobile phones were also seized from the possession of former state minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Sigma Huda, wife of Nazmul Huda, Sabera Aman, wife of Aman Ullah Aman, and Khusnud Lobi, wife of former lawmaker Ali Asghar Lobi.

The government has decided to install cellphone jammers at 67 prisons across the country.