DCJ efforts make prisoners a skilled workforce
Reza Mahmud :
Dhaka Central Jail (DCJ) authorities have undertaken an exemplary initiative to transform prisoners into corrected and skilled manpower by giving training on various trades.
As part of the correction and rehabilitation campaign, the jail authorities have arranged mental modification and skill development training so that they become essential parts of the society once after completing jail terms.
Officials said, Inspector General of prisons, Brigadier General ASM Anisul Haque led these initiatives.
Jail sources said, they have arranged different types of skill development training on computer operating, tailoring, garment, weaving industry, Jamdani Banarasi and Katan Saree weaving, footwear making, repairing of electric and electronics equipment.
Besides, training is imparted to the prisoners on various trades like English language teaching, music teaching, gents parlour, handicrafts and needlework, showpiece making, agriculture and animal husbandry.
At present, out of about 10,000 prisoners nearly 1,000 are involved in these training activities.
To facilitate training programmes, several mini manufacturing factories have been built inside the central jail.
Sources with the jail and prisoners’ families said that various products including sarees, lungis and shoes for men, women and children are produced in these mini factories and sold in the market.
Fifty percent of the profit coming from sales proceeds of those items are being distributed among the imprisoned workers.
The prisoners are allowed to send the earning to their families. Many of them have deposited that money with bank accounts as part of savings so that they can spend the money for self employments after getting release from the jail.
When contacted, Subhash Kumer Ghosh, Senior Jail Super of the Dhaka Central Jail, told The New Nation on Friday, “There is huge negative propaganda about the jail.
But we have initiated some rare thing to make the imprisoned people skilled and corrected manpower by giving appropriate training on various trades.”
He said, mostly the youth prisoners are getting those training as they have potentials to build a new future life after the jail term.
The official, however, said, prisoners of all ages are being given the opportunities so that they can improve their abilities for earning through profitable work.
Nowadays, prisons in western and developed countries are treated as correction centers for the people who once involved in crime.
In the wake this, Subhas Kumar said, the jail authorities are trying to change mentality of the imprisoned people through adequate training.
He said many imprisoned people who were involved in different crimes like stealing, snatching, dowry and such others, have understood their wrongdoing and expressed remorse.
“We have arranged such training for them,” he said.
The official said, “The district administration has arranged different public and private jobs for those once prisoners.”
Many government offices and NGO’s also are providing micro loans to those once prisoners for their rehabilitation, he added.
