113 inmates released from jails in 5 districts

Prison authorities today released 113 inmates from jails in Tangail, Rajbari, Gazipur, Lalmonirhat and Bagerhat districts in a bid to curb risk of Covid-19 spread in the prisons.

In Tangail, 49 inmates were released today from the district jail as per the government's directive, reports our correspondent quoting officials.

A list of total 300 inmates with jail terms of one year or less was sent to the home ministry for special pardon. Among them 77 were selected for release, said Abdullah Al Mamun, superintendent of Tangail District Jail.

Of them, eight were released after their jail terms ended, meanwhile 49 were released this afternoon, he said.

The 20 others selected have their fines due and would be released after their fines are paid, the official added.

In Rajbari, 33 inmates were released from jail as per the directive of the home ministry, said Md Mamunur Rashid, jailer of Rajbari Prison.

Among them, 30 were jailed for different terms by mobile courts, the jailer said.

A total 42 will released from the jail as per the directive. So far, 38 people have been released, including the 33, and four others will be released after their fines are paid, Mamunur Rashid added.

In Gazipur, 15 prisoners were released from Kashimpur Central Jail Complex today as per the decision of the Gazipur Prison Authority.

Among them, 13 were released from Kashimpur Central Jail-2 and two were released from Kashimpur Central Women's Prison, reports our Gazipur correspondent.

Baharul Alam, jailer of Kashimpur Central Jail-2, and Anwar Hossain, jailer of Kashimpur Central Women's Prison, confirmed the development to The Daily Star.

So far, 25 inmates have been released, the officials said.

Earlier, 10 inmates were released from the Gazipur District Jail and Kashimpur Central Jail Complex in the district.

In Lalmonirhat, 11 inmates were released today from the district jail as per the government's directive.

"We had recommended 20 inmates with jail terms of one year or less for release as per the directive. Among them, 11 were selected and they were released this afternoon," Kishore Kumar Nag, jailer of Lalmonirhat District Jail, told The Daily Star.

In Bagerhat, five prisoners were released from the district jail today as per the government directive.

A total 19 inmates have been selected to be released from the jail following the directive, of whom the five were released today and 13 others will be released after their fines are paid. One other prisoner was released by the court, said SM Mohiuddin Haider, jailer of Bagerhat District Jail.

"The inspector general of prisons had wanted a list of prisoners with jail terms between six months and one year. We sent a list of 48 inmates, and the government selected 19 of them to be released," the jailer added.

As per Section 401 (1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the home ministry has commuted the remaining jail term of 2,884 prisoners across the country to curb risk of Covid-19 spread in the jails.

Inmates with jail terms less than or equal to one year have been considered for the release.