HC orders appointing prison doctors in one month
Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Tuesday asked the concerned authorities of the government to appoint doctors within a month to the vacant posts of the prisons across the country.
It also asked the authorities concerned to finalize the ‘Doctors Appointment Rules’ of the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding the appointment of the doctors in the prisons by the same time.
The High Court bench of Justice K M Kamrul Kader and Justice Mohammad Showkat Ali Chowdhury passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed in this regard.
Lawyer J R Khan Robin himself appeared in the court hearing in support of his writ petition, while Deputy Attorney General Sk Shaifuzzaman Shaif and lawyer Md Shafiqul Islam represented the Department of Prisons.
Prisons department’s lawyer informed the court that a total of 125 doctors have already been appointed to the prisons. Then the court wanted to know what steps have been taken to fill the remaining posts. The lawyer then replied that a process is under way to fill the remaining posts.
The High Court then said, “How much time do you need? There is no shortage of doctors. Why you are not appointing them. If doctors are not appointed even in the central jail, then it seems the condition of the district jails is worse.”
“You cannot get out of bureaucratic complications. It does not seem like an independent country. You are just exchanging letters. Power is not for abuse, but to serve the people. Most of the prisoners are poor. Save the poor people,” observed the High Court.
Following a petition, the High Court on November 15 last year asked the authorities concerned of the government to appoint doctors on deputation to vacant posts at the prisons in order to provide treatment to prisoners and submit a report after complying with the order by December 11 before it.
Complying with the order, the Inspector General of Prisons (IG Prisons) on December 13 last year submitted a report to the High Court. After hearing on the report, the High Court asked the prisons authorities and the Health Directorate to immediately appoint doctors to the vacant posts of the prisons.
However, the Health Directorate did not fill the vacant posts even the High Court granted several rounds of time to it. Later on January 17 this year, the High Court summoned the Director General of the Health Directorate. After that some doctors were appointed to the vacant posts.
The prisons authorities on May 9 submitted a progress report to the court saying that there are still some vacant posts for doctors. They also informed the HC that although the rules for the appointment of doctors in prisons have been drafted in 2019, it has not been finalized yet. Then the court granted them time till June 6. However, on Tuesday they further prayed time from the court.
