Editorial
The Chuadanga jail break
Thorough review of prison security is called for
THE incredibly disturbing manner in which four prisoners managed to make good their escape from Chuadanga jail on Thursday night inevitably brings up the question of the state of prison security. To be sure, it can easily be argued, and for good reason, that the prevailing electricity crisis in the country was a contributory factor in the escape by the four men, all of whom have the bad reputation of being feared outlaws. What cannot be overlooked, though, is the sheer incompetence and lack of alertness on the part of the jail authorities here. It is on this issue that the authorities, especially those responsible for jail administration, must now focus. If prisoners can escape so easily, and that too from a secure jail as Chuadanga's, one can legitimately raise the issue of the lapses that might lead to similar incidents in other prisons around the country.
We feel, as surely others around the country do, that a thorough, definitive review of the situation has become necessary. There ought to be two aspects to such a review. In the first place, a thorough assessment of administrative and security conditions must be undertaken in Chuadanga jail. The objective must be one of digging into the roots of how long the four prisoners were engaged in plans to break out of jail without anyone noticing what they were up to. Or there is the other, more crucial question: is it possible that these convicts could have been assisted by individuals on the staff of Chuadanga prison? In the second place, a scooping inquiry into prevailing security conditions in other jails all over Bangladesh has also become a necessity. Such issues as neglect of duty, poor construction of buildings, et cetera, should be brought within the scope of inquiry and remedial actions taken without sitting on the findings.
The biggest element of surprise about the Chuadanga jail incident is the ease with which the prisoners were able to get away. The jail has been known to be a fortified structure. If now such so-called fortified structures are so easily proved to be vulnerable, a whole new area of problems comes up before us. With the law and order situation in the country not in a state that can cheer us, the Chuadanga jail break only increases our sense of foreboding. We wait for the Home Ministry to come up with a statement on the incident.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments