Sheikh Hasina KASHIMPUR: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said the Dhaka Central Jail will be relocated to Keraniganj from Lalbagh by June next, reports UNB. Inaugurating the Jail Week 2014 on Kashimpur Prison Compound Parade Field, the Prime Minister said a park will be constructed on the 9-acre land of the existing Dhaka Central Jail in addition to setting up two museums for public. “The two museums will be opened to public after the relocation of the central jail so that people can know about the jail life of the great leaders like Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and four national leaders,” she added. Hasina said her government, after assuming office in 2009, has established ‘Kara Smriti Jadughar’ under the National Museum at the Dhaka Central Jail in memory of Bangabandhu and four national leaders. After the Dhaka Central Jail’s relocation, she said, the government has a plan to construct multi-storey convention centre on two acres of the land for the welfare of the Prison Division officers and employees. “There’ll be a cineplex, a swimming pool, a gymnasium and other recreational facilities, and the income from these will be used for the welfare of the officers and employees of the Prison Division,” she said. Turning to irregularities in the country’s jails, the Prime Minister warned that if anyone of the prison authorities found assisting militants, terrorists and drug peddlers, he or she will face harsh punishment as her government does not want to see any indiscipline in jails. “I would like to warn you, if anyone of you is found assisting militants, terrorists and drug peddlers, he or she will face tough punishment,” she asserted. The Prime Minister said every member of the jail authorities must perform his or her duties with due responsibility and sincerity as no one is above the law. “So, punitive actions will be taken against the lawbreakers, or else the programmes that have been taken for prison development will turn futile.” Hasina also said the security system in prisons across the country will be modernised so that the militants and top terrors cannot continue their evil activities from jails. “For ensuring the security of the country and the nation, the security system in the country’s jails will be modernised so that militants and top terrors cannot run their militant activities and terrorist acts from jails,” she said. The Prime Minister said the criminals in jails have to be put under discipline and emphasised that no criminal should get out of a prison turning into a big criminal. “You should not look at the prisoners as the prisoners only, you must treat them as members of society. If any member of society goes out from the jail being a criminal, the society will be polluted further,” she noted. Sheikh Hasina laid emphasis on creating a ‘criminal database’ for ensuring smooth law and order situation in the country. This database, she said, will be linked to the national identity (NID) card and passport department so that the criminals and fake identity givers could be caught easily. “Necessary steps in this regard have been taken to create a database for the prisoners who come to jails,” she added. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister said a full-fledged jail training academy will be set up in Rajshahi while a jail training institute in Dhaka to ensure necessary trainings for prison officials and employees. She said this while delivering her speech at the Special Darbar of the Prime Minister at Kashimpur Central Jail. Hasina said her government is working hard to improve the atmosphere in the country’s prisons, and achieving professional skill is a perquisite to development of the jails. “To make that happen, training is a must,” the Prime Minister said adding that no training centre has been set up in the country in the last 44 years. Keeping this in mind, she said, the government has decided to set up a full-fledged training academy in Rajshahi and a training institute in Dhaka. The Prime Minister also announced to introduce ‘Bravery Medal’ for the prison officers and employees like other forces of the country to encourage them. About manpower shortage in prisons, Hasina said she is well aware of the fact that the country’s jails are run with the workforce of 1984, but the workload has increased by 8-10 times.
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