Covid-19 Outbreak: HC seeks report on situation in prisons

The High Court yesterday wanted to know the situation of inmates in jails and prison staff across the country following the coronavirus pandemic.

The court asked Deputy Attorney General Amit Talukder to collect the information from the jail authorities and provide it to the court on June 15.

The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim came up with the order during a virtual hearing on a writ petition filed on May 17 by Supreme Court lawyer Mohammad Shishir Manir, seeking it's directives  on the authorities concerned to take necessary measures to protect the prisoners and prisons staff from coronavirus.

The bench adjourned hearing till June 15 after DAG Amit Talukder opposed the petition, saying that the coronavirus pandemic has not deteriorated in the prisons.

The HC also asked the petitioner to monitor the situation inside the jails through media reports by this time.

Manir submitted the petition as a public interest litigation to the HC requesting it to order the authorities to take measures to maintain social distancing among inmates and prison staff and other health guidelines.

In the petition, he prayed to the HC to ask the inspector general of prisons to submit a report to the court on the preparedness and steps taken in this regard.

Manir, in the petition, said there are reportedly around 74,000 prisoners in 68 prisons across the country where the accommodation capacity is for 41,244 prisoners.

Twenty-three prison guards and two inmates have tested positive for coronavirus and a prisoner in Sylhet Central Jail has died with coronavirus infection, he said in the petition.

He further said the jail authorities are responsible for ensuring safety of prisoners.