Bangladesh News

Former BNP state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment in an arms case, has been staying at the prison cell of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) hospital for 16 out of almost 17 months of his detention.

This is the longest stay of any high-profile corruption suspects at the prison cell during the last two years.

Arrested on May 28 last year, the former state minister spent over 94 percent of his imprisonment at the prison cell in three phases, jail sources said.

Like him, most of over 150 bigwigs, detained after January 11, 2007 and freed on bail and paroles, spent a large portion of their detention at different hospitals under jail custody.

At present a total of 20 detained bigwigs are admitted to BSMMU alone. Around 100 high-profile corruption suspects had treatment at the hospital.

Jail and hospital sources said most of the high-profile prisoners overstayed at the hospitals in order to enjoy better facilities and to avoid the taste of prison life.

In most cases, unethical favours of doctors concerned helped prolong their stay at hospitals, sources said.

Inspector General of Prisons (IG-Prisons) Brig Gen Mohammad Zakir Hassan told The Daily Star, “There is a tendency of ailing high-profile prisoners to get hospitalised and stay there as long as possible.”

“It was also revealed that in many cases the doctors concerned at hospitals let them prolong their stay citing various made-up causes and excuses,” the IG-Prisons said.

Prof M Tahir, vice-chancellor (VC) of BSMMU, also agreed with the IG-Prisons and said, “I cannot rule out overstays of a number of high-profile prisoners at the prison cell as well as the unethical favours done to them by a few doctors to prolong their stay.”

The VC said, “I have issued letters to all the doctors concerned at the BSMMU asking them not to extend favours to VIP prisoners to prolong their stay unnecessarily so that other prisoners are not deprived of their right to treatment.”

Tahir, however, said there are some prisoners who are really sick and the cause of their sickness is mental weakness following detention on various charges.

Sources said the high-profile prisoners are eager to overstay at hospitals where it is easer to violate the jail code and meet their relatives and talk to their near and dear ones.

Earlier, the jail authorities seized at least 15 cellphones and ipods from a number of VIP prisoners and took punitive measures against at least 25 prisoners for violating the jail code.

Jail sources said they also took punitive measures against a number of political detainees in connection with holding meetings inside the prison cells.

After January 11, 2007, over 150 bigwigs including politicians, businessmen and government high-officials were arrested on various charges. Most of the bigwigs were admitted to hospitals at home and abroad, including BSMMU, Birdem and LabAid Hospital in Dhaka.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Tarique Rahman, elder son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, spent eight months and nine days at BSMMU in two phases. He is now abroad for treatment.

His younger brother Arafat Rahman Koko spent nine months and 26 days at the BSMMU in three phases. Arrested on September 3 last year, Koko was freed on bail on July 17 and he is also out of the country for treatment.

Former BNP minister Tariqul Islam was arrested on February 5 last year and was freed on bail on October 7 after 20 months and five days of imprisonment. He spent 18 months and 18 days of his detention at the BSMMU in two phases.

Former Awami League (AL) state minister Mahiuddin Khan Alamgir, arrested on February 5 last year, spent nine months and 26 days at the BSMMU hospital in two phases during his 20 months and 11 days of imprisonment.

Former BNP lawmaker Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu surrendered before a court on February 15 last year. He already spent eight months and 25 days in three phases at the BSMMU.

Chittagong City Corporation Mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury was arrested on March 7 last year and released on bail on October 8. During his 18 months of imprisonment, he spent nine months and 11 days at the hospital in two phases.

Dainik Janakantha publisher Atiqullah Khan Masud was arrested on March 7 last year. He spent six months and 26 days at the BSMMU in two phases.

Former AL minister Abdul Jalil was freed on parole and is now on bail. He spent three months and two days at the BSMMU and LabAid Hospital and later went abroad for treatment.

Former BNP lawmakers Hafiz Ibrahim, Ali Asghar Lobi, Manjurul Ahsan Munshi and Wadud Bhuiyan, former BNP ministers Mirza Abbas, Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Nazmul Huda, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and Moudud Ahmed, former deputy minister Amanullah, former state ministers Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku and Mir Nasir, former AL lawmaker Habibur Rahman Mollah, former secretary ANH Akhter and Swechchhasebak League leader Pankaj Devnath are among the bigwigs staying at the BSMMU now.

Former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s political adviser Salauddin Quader Chowdhury spent over six months at the BSMMU and Birdem hospitals.