Healthcare gaps woe for inmates

The lack of medical facilities and emergency services inside prisons has emerged as a major challenge as rights groups report a significant number of deaths in custody.

According to human rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), 61 people died in prison custody across Bangladesh during the first six months of this year, including 37 undertrial prisoners and 24 convicted inmates.

However, prison authorities questioned the interpretation of the figures, saying many of the deaths were caused by natural illnesses and could not be directly linked to custodial conditions.

Md Rahim Mondol, Deputy Jailer of the Prison, told The New Nation that improving medical services inside prisons is essential to prevent avoidable deaths.

“We are not certain about ASK’s reported figure of 61 deaths in prison custody. We also do not know how they have defined ‘custodial deaths.’ Most of those deaths were natural,” he said.

He added that the shortage of permanent doctors remains one of the biggest challenges in ensuring healthcare for inmates.

According to prison authorities, there are 146 approved physician posts across the country’s prisons, but only two doctors are currently serving permanently.

Most prisons depend on part-time doctors assigned from Civil Surgeons’ offices. Mondol said critically ill prisoners often face delays in receiving specialised treatment due to a shortage of ambulances.

“There are situations where prison authorities have to hire private vehicles to take patients to hospitals, causing delays that can increase the risk of death,” he said.

Bangladesh currently has 68 prisons, but only Manikganj Prison and the Rajshahi Training Centre have full-time doctors. The remaining prisons rely on temporary medical support.

The prison official said discussions have been held with the Ministry of Health, Directorate General of Health Services and the Ministry of Home Affairs to resolve the doctor shortage.

He also said the government has allocated 44 new ambulances for prisons, but the vehicles have not yet been delivered.

The issue of deaths in prison custody has remained a concern for years. ASK data shows that 270 prisoners died in 2025, while 261 died in 2024 and 290 died in 2023.

Rights activists say strengthening prison healthcare, ensuring regular medical check-ups and improving emergency response facilities are necessary to protect the rights and lives of inmates.