Plan to release over 500 child prisoners

According to the estimate of the jail authorities, there are over 1,000 children now detained in the prisons in 64 districts.

The decision was taken at the fourth meeting of the National Task Force on improving the condition of children in prison on Wednesday with Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr. Kamal Siddiqui in the chair.

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Directives were issued to all divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, concerned police officers and officials of social welfare department to take effective monitoring system to expedite the process of releasing children from prison and also to solve this problem.

The meeting decided to take necessary steps to repeal the Vagrancy Act, 1943, and appoint an additional probation officer for Dhaka Metropolitan city.

Held at the Prime Minister's Office, the meeting decided to monitor the progress of the committees formed in this regard, issue directives to all concerned to be more child friendly in performing their duties.

Concerned secretaries of different ministries, senior government officials, and representatives of the donor agencies and NGOs attended the meeting.

The third meeting of the task force was held on October 17, 2004.