Dhaka: Inspector General (IG) of Prisons Brigadier General Syed Md. Motaher Hossain today stated that more than 700 prisoners out of over 2,200 who escaped during the July Uprising remain fugitives. Of the fugitives, nine are identified as militants, while 60 others are convicts sentenced to death or life imprisonment. He addressed these concerns while responding to journalists at a briefing held at the Prison Directorate Headquarters located in Bakshibazar.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the IG Prisons further revealed that 29 firearms, which were looted during the uprising, have not yet been recovered. He assured that law enforcement agencies are actively working towards recovering the weapons and capturing the escaped prisoners.
In response to allegations from BNP leaders regarding the alleged inhuman treatment of their chairperson Khaleda Zia while in prison, the IG Prisons mentioned having seen such reports in the media. However, he noted that no formal complaints have been filed. He emphasized that any complaint received would prompt an investigation into the matter.
When questioned about the presence of political prisoners and VIP inmates, the Inspector General clarified that there is no specific designation for political or VIP prisoners within the system. He stated that all individuals in prison are simply categorized as prisoners, and there are currently 163 inmates granted divisions. Additionally, 28 others have applied for such divisions, but their applications have not yet been approved.