Healthcare system collapse in prisons

A prisoner falls ill. Hours pass. A doctor is called. Sometimes, it is already too late.

This is not an isolated incident but a recurring reality inside Bangladesh’s prison system, where delays in medical care, shortage of specialist doctors, and systemic gaps are contributing to a rising number of inmate deaths.

Slow medical response, an acute shortage of specialist doctors, and a lack of ambulances in Bangladesh’s prisons are contributing to a worrying rise in inmate deaths, with at least 97 prisoners dying in the first two months of 2026 alone, according to official data.

Of them, 55 died in January and 42 in February, highlighting a persistent crisis in prison healthcare services.

The trend reflects a broader pattern over the past several years. In 2025, a total of 270 prisoners died, including 155 from natural causes, 111 while being taken to hospitals, and four in unnatural incidents.

In 2024, the death toll stood at 261, including 140 natural deaths, 120 during hospital transfers, and one unnatural death.

In 2023, the figure was 290, with 187 natural deaths, 101 during transfers, and two unnatural cases.

Altogether, from 2023 to February 2026, at least 821 prisoners have died, averaging around 22 deaths per month.

Despite provisions in the Jail Code mandating medical staff in prisons, the reality remains far from adequate.

Testimonies from inmates, former prisoners, and prison officials indicate that most facilities lack full-time doctors, particularly specialists.

Sabrina Arif Chowdhury, a convicted cardiac surgeon, said that while a medical officer visits Dhaka Central Jail daily for a limited time, there is no full-time doctor available on-site and most medical personnel are not specialists.

Speaking to The New Nation, former inmate Md Habib, who was held at Chattogram Central Jail, said emergency response is often delayed, as doctors must be called from outside and may take considerable time to arrive.

He added that treatment in prison is largely limited to basic check-ups, which is insufficient for serious medical conditions.

Officials from several prisons, including Chattogram, Dhaka, Barishal and Cumilla, acknowledged that there are no dedicated specialist doctors, and in some cases only one assistant surgeon is responsible for thousands of inmates.

Healthcare facilities inside prisons also remain limited. Shortages of essential medicines, lack of diagnostic capacity, and absence of specialised physicians—including cardiologists, gynaecologists, and mental health professionals—have further compounded the crisis.

At Cumilla Central Jail, for instance, one assistant surgeon serves more than 2,000 inmates, while its 73-bed hospital for male prisoners has only two beds allocated for female inmates.

Alongside the healthcare shortage, a severe lack of ambulances has further worsened the situation.

There are only 27 ambulances available for 68 prisons across the country, making it difficult to transfer sick inmates to hospitals quickly.

In many cases, prison authorities have to rely on hired vehicles, which take time to arrive. As a result, delays in transportation have led to deaths on the way to hospitals.

A significant number of deaths occur during transfers to hospitals, pointing to delays in decision-making and inadequate on-site care.

According to prison data, an average of 58 inmates die each year while being transported from prisons or prison medical units to outside hospitals.

Prisoners released from Dhaka Central Jail said critically ill inmates are often referred to public hospitals, but the process is frequently delayed.

Alongside medical-related deaths, suicide cases in prisons are also a growing concern.

Six inmates died by suicide in 2025, three in 2024, and two in 2023, while four cases were reported in both 2022 and 2021. In February this year, another inmate reportedly died by suicide at Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj.

Inspector General of Prisons Brigadier General Syed Md Motaher Hossain told New Nation that  the shortage of doctors, saying that although approved posts exist, most remain vacant.

Currently, only two doctors are permanently posted, while others are assigned temporarily from civil surgeon offices.

He said that having full-time doctors could help ensure quicker medical decisions and reduce deaths.

He also noted that multiple meetings have been held with the Ministry of Health, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), and the Ministry of Home Affairs to address the crisis, and discussions on recruiting doctors through outsourcing are ongoing.

However, no permanent solution has yet been implemented, leaving prison healthcare services under significant strain.