Staff Reporter :
The Bangladesh prison system is set to undergo a major transformation with its official rebranding as “Correction Services Bangladesh.
“The announcement was made on Tuesday at a press conference held at the Prison Headquarters by Brigadier General Syed Md. Motaher Hossain, Inspector General of Prisons (IG Prisons).
Speaking at the event, the IG said that two new central jails and four district jails have already been inaugurated to ease overcrowding.
To improve coordination, Dhaka Division has been split into two separate administrative divisions.
Addressing manpower shortages, he revealed that the government has approved the recruitment of 1,899 new staff, while a further request for 1,500 posts has been submitted.
Headquarters and divisional offices have been restructured with new personnel to enhance operational efficiency.
On modernization, he said all prisons across the country have been connected under a dedicated fiber network. A digital attendance system and team trackers have been introduced to ensure proper monitoring of prison staff.
For enhanced security, prisons are now equipped with mobile jamming systems, body scanners, luggage scanners, ground-sweeping machines, and mobile detectors.
AI-powered CCTV cameras and body cameras for duty officers have also been introduced, while procurement of firearms for prison security is under consideration.
Regarding inmate facilities, Brig. Gen. Hossain said that prison visits and phone calls have been fully digitalised. A hotline service (16191) has been launched to allow families and concerned parties to obtain specific inmate-related information.
Food quality has also been improved with increased protein portions, along with special allocations for breakfast and festive occasions.
A Central Prison Hospital is being established in Keraniganj to ensure quality healthcare for inmates. Counseling services and religious education programs have been introduced to aid in rehabilitation.
He further noted that the government has approved lifetime rations for retiring prison guards. To maintain staff fitness, weight charts and compulsory PT-parades have been introduced, with necessary supplies provided.
In terms of training, 691 guards, 150 chief guards, 69 senior chief guards, 30 sergeant instructors, and 55 deputy jailers and jail superintendents received professional training in the past year.
Strict action has also been taken against drug abuse within the prison service. In the last year alone, 29 prison staff members were prosecuted and imprisoned for involvement in drug-related offenses, supported by the acquisition of in-house dope testing machines.
Disciplinary measures have also been enforced against misconduct: 34 officials dismissed, 440 facing departmental action, 172 transferred for administrative reasons, and several others compulsorily retired.
“These reforms are aimed at turning prisons into true centers of correction rather than mere detention facilities,” the IG Prisons emphasised.
