Jail super, jailer of Laxmipur suspended

October 23, 2014

UNB, Laxmipur :
Jail super Mahabubul Alam and jailer Joynal Abedin of Laxmipur District Jail have been suspended on various charges of irregularities.
A four-member probe panel has been formed to look into the irregularities like allowing prisoners to use mobile phones and drugs and the influential ones to live a luxurious life inside the jail in exchange for money.
Jail sources said prisoner Sumon, who was produced before the Session’ s Judge Court on August 31 in a case, filed a case against four people, including the jail super and jailer.
In his case statement, Sumon said identified
terrorists continued to carry out criminal activities, including drug trade and extortion, using mobile phones from the jail after managing the jail authorities in exchange for money.
He also alleged that jail inmates are served with substandard food and they are pressurised frequently for paying money. If anyone dares to protest it, he is tortured brutally.
It was also learned that the jail authorities have to be paid Tk 1.5 lakh for running the jail canteen, Tk 50,000 for the space used for meeting of the prisoners with their relatives and Tk 6,000 for per seat of the jail hospital every month.
A team of the administration, led by deputy commissioner AKM Tipu Sultan, went to visit the jail on Tuesday afternoon when they recovered five mobile phone sets from prisoners, Tk 35,000 in cash and huge syringes.
They also found that the prisoners were living a lavish life making beds of their own inside the jail.
The other members were police super Shah Mizan Safiur Rahman and civil surgeon Dr Golam Faruk of Laxmipur. The DC sent a letter to the Home Ministry, the Chittagong Divisional Commissioner and the Inspector General (Prisons) to take action in this regard.
Acting on the letter, the IG (Prisons) ordered the suspension of the jail super and the jailer, said DC Tipu Sultan.
He also said an investigation committee, led by additional district magistrate SM Nazim Uddin, has been formed to look into the allegation. The committee has been asked to submit its report within seven working days. Contacted, the probe body chief said they have started their work.