Prisoners at the country's oldest jail often suffer from tuberculosis, jaundice, peptic ulcer, diarrhoea, heart and skin related diseases etc., believed to be consequences of the unhygienic living conditions.

DCJ Superintendent Meer Maksud Hossain acknowledged the health crisis in the jail and said that it was impossible to prevent diseases simply because of the sheer number of excess inmates.

"If five people are crammed into a cell designed for one, diseases are bound to spread," said Hossain.

The Dhaka Central Jail has a capacity of 2,650 but at present accommodates more than 11,000 convicted, charged or detained individuals.

A source informed that the health situation inside the prison has become so serious that nearly 500 inmates on an average has to visit the hospital everyday. The hospital is also ill equipped to handle the rush of patients.

There are only four doctors and a single nurse to attend some 150 inpatients and 350 outpatients each day.

There is no gynaecologist for the 300-odd female prisoners. One DCJ health official said on condition of anonymity, that the lady doctor in charge of the day-care centre usually looks after the sick women inside the prison.

There are 34 children at the day-care centre who have been placed under the Extended Programme on Immunisation (EPI).

The jail hospital has 150 beds. But according to the superintendent, 300 patients are found admitted there at any given time. "Because of the lack of space, many patients are kept on the floor. We can not help it," said Hossain.

Insiders allege that doctors are not available round the clock. Drug-addicts are reportedly treated as normal patients as there is no special arrangement for them.

Ujjal, a recently released prisoner claimed that there were no genuine patients at the jail hospital.

"Notorious criminals in connivance with the medical and security officers stay there for the comfort. Anyone who can spend Tk 2,000 a week can stay in the hospital," said Ujjal.

Doctors denied the allegations. Jail officials say that anyone released from the prison invariably goes home carrying germs in his body.

The state of accommodation has become the topic of sarcastic jokes among inmates. Talking to this correspondent, some claimed that they just didn't have enough space to lie down on the floor.

"We sleep on the floor in the manner in which files are kept on a shelf or Hilsha fishes are left one partially over another on a plate for sale in the market," said one detainee adding that these cells are known as 'Hilsha File' to the inmates.

"For going to the toilet at night, one has to jump over cell-mates. Two persons have to sleep in a space with barely one-foot width. You can't change your lying position before you wake up in the morning," the inmate said.

The blankets that are given to the prisoners to use both as a cover and a pillow are hardly ever washed said inmates. These blankets are believed to be one of the main reasons for almost all the captives suffering from some form of skin disease.

There is acute water scarcity inside the jail. The supply that is available is good enough for only 250 to 300 people to take bath. The wash rooms are always packed with jostling prisoners. Some said that they take shower once a week.