Death row convicts kept in condemn cells for security reasons
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The inspector general of prisons today submitted a report to the High Court, saying that the death row convicts are lawfully kept in the condemn cells before the cases against them are finally settled because of the security reasons.
If they (death row-convicts) are not kept separated from other convicts in jails, they might be more violent and commit more offences, the report said.
Advocate Khondoker Shahriar Shakir placed the report on behalf of the IG prisons to the court during hearing on a rule that questioned the legality of the jail code provision that allows keeping convicts who got the death penalty in condemn cells before their cases are finally disposed of by this court.
The IG prisons also said in the report that the convicted accused are kept in jail properly following the relevant rules and regulations.
The conditions and facilities in the condemn cells are being improved, Khondoker Shahriar Shakir told The Daily Star citing the report.
The HC bench of Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Md Bazlur Rahman kept the rule as Curia Advisari Vult, a Latin legal term meaning verdict could be delivered anytime.
The HC on April 5 last year issued the rule asking the government to explain why Regulation 980 of Bangladesh Jail Code regarding the provision for keeping death row convicts in condemn cells should not be declared unconstitutional.
Petitioner's lawyer Mohammad Shishir Manir told the HC that death-row convicts are kept in the condemn cells in very inhumane and degrading manner which is contradictory to article 35(5) of the constitution.
Citing an Indian Supreme Court judgement, he said no convict can be kept in death cell until his or her case is finally disposed of by the apex court.
Shishir Manir told The Daily Star that a total of 1,987 death row convicts were in condemn cells of prisons across the country till September 20, 2021.
Among them, 1,933 are men and 54 women, he said citing a statement prepared by the office of IG prisons.
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