A total of 1,557 of the 2,247 prisoners who escaped from various jails during the July mass uprising have since been arrested and returned to custody, while 690 remain at large, said Director General of the Department of Prisons Brig Gen Syed Md Motahar Hossain on Tuesday. 

“We have applied to the court to obtain information about them,” he said at a press conference at the Department of Prisons headquarters in Old Dhaka.

He said 826 prisoners escaped from Narsingdi Jail alone, and the whereabouts of 166 of them remain unknown. 

Asked about militant prisoners who escaped during the unrest, the director general said nine listed militants fled from different prisons. Of them, six have been rearrested and returned to custody, while three remain at large.

The six rearrested militants include Jewel alias Jewel Ustad, who was recently arrested by the Anti-Terrorism Unit, he said.

Regarding allegations that drugs are being smuggled into prisons with the help of prison guards, Motahar said he had adopted a “zero tolerance” policy against drugs and financial corruption.

“Over the last two years, 21 of our officials have been sent into compulsory retirement and 82 have been dismissed. Departmental proceedings have been initiated against 870 people, while 303 others have been transferred to different departments for minor offences,” he said.

He said prison guards found involved in drug-related offences were handed over to police after criminal cases were filed against them.

Regarding the use of mobile phones inside prisons, he said the authorities had no information about such use, but action would be taken if any complaint was received.

Responding to allegations that Awami League leaders and activists are being allowed to use mobile phones in prisons, he said mobile phone use is strictly prohibited.

On prisoners’ food, the director general said automatic roti-making machines are being installed in prisons.

The machines would save time and ensure quality by automating the entire process, from preparing flour to making and heating roti, he said. The initiative would also reduce security risks associated with keeping large numbers of prisoners outside at night for food preparation, he added.

He said preparations are underway to keep accused in drug-related cases separately in two prisons — one in Feni and the other in Kishoreganj.

Asked about the number of foreign nationals currently detained in Bangladeshi prisons, Brig Gen Motahar said 379 foreign nationals are in different prisons across the country.

“Letters have been sent to the embassies concerned to repatriate 170 of them to their respective countries,” he said.