In the chaotic days following the overthrow of dictatorial premier Sheikh Hasina, multiple jailbreaks in Bangladesh resulted in the deaths of at least 12 prisoners and the release of hundreds more.
Following Hasina’s abrupt resignation and flight overseas after 15 years in office, an interim administration is finding it difficult to re-establish law and order since police are on strike.
Two prison breaks this week, one north of the nation’s capital Dhaka, are the most recent in a string of breakouts that occurred during the weeks of widespread upheaval preceding her overthrow.
According to warden Abu Fatah, six prisoners were slain at Jamapur Prison on Thursday when inmates attacked prison staff, as reported by AFP.
“They assaulted us with iron rods and sharp weapons.” They burnt down my office. Then they attempted to get out, taking all 600 inmates with them,” he claimed.
“We were forced to open fire at least six inmates were killed, with one being stabbed to death.
According to Fatah, guards were able to stop the attack before anyone could escape.
At a high-security jail in Kashimpur, roughly 30 kilometres (20 miles) north of Dhaka, another six inmates were shot dead during a mass breakout on Tuesday, warden Lutfor Rahman told AFP.
According to Rahman, the prisoners broke through the jail’s main gate and attacked the guards with iron tools and rebar rods, prompting army forces and jail guards to open fire.
“At least 203 prisoners also managed to escape,” stated the governor. Kashimpur High Security Prison houses some of Bangladesh’s most prominent prisoners, including Islamist radicals and murders.Rahman stated that none of the high-profile convicts had managed to escape their prisons.
Since the start of protests against Hasina’s government last month, there have been numerous attempted and successful jailbreaks around Bangladesh.
In July, a mob of thousands invaded a British colonial-era jail in Narsingdi’s central district and set fire to the warden’s office, causing over 800 detainees to flee.
On Monday, the day Hasina was deposed, more than 500 convicts fled a jail in the northern district of Sherpur.
In Essence
The fact that multiple jailbreaks have occurred in different parts of the country indicates a broader, systemic issue.
The widespread unrest and the sheer number of prisoners escaping suggest that the rule of law has been severely undermined across Bangladesh.
The escape of hundreds of prisoners, including potentially dangerous individuals like Islamist radicals, poses a significant security threat.
The situation could lead to further violence and instability if these escaped inmates are not quickly apprehended.
