Many years ago, a shocking incident in Dhaka sent ripples through the country’s justice system. A top terrorist, serving a prison sentence in Dhaka Central Jail, was being transported to court in a prison van. But by bribing officers on duty, he not only appeared in court but also spent four hours with his family at home afterwards. Not long after, his wife gave birth to their child.
This was not an isolated incident. On February 23, 2014, three convicts of a banned Islamist group, death-sentenced Salahuddin Ahmed Salehin, Rakibul Hasan and life-imprisoned Jahedul Islam, escaped from a prison van while being transported from Gazipur Jail to a Mymensingh court. The escape occurred after gunmen ambushed the van, killing one police officer and allowing the convicts to flee. Such incidents exposed the vulnerabilities in prisoner transport, particularly for high-risk and terrorist convicts.
In response, the Department of Prisons planned to upgrade the system. Two technologically advanced prison vans were procured from the Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory under the Army’s supervision for nearly Tk 2 crore. Former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal inaugurated them at Dhaka Central Jail on January 19, 2017.
The US Department of Justice officially handed over five specialised prisoner transport vehicles on July 17, 2024, but they remain unused due to delayed registration after certain US assistance programs were paused. Funded by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism and facilitated by ICITAP, these vehicles are designed to securely handle high-threat prisoners during legal proceedings.
Despite the introduction, these modern vans remained largely unused for years. Even after the mass uprising in July, which heightened security concerns across the country, traditional overcrowded vans continued to transport high-risk prisoners, leaving the advanced vehicles underutilised and the system vulnerable.
Yesterday, on October 22, a significant step was taken in strengthening court security and prisoner transport. Wednesday, fifteen serving Bangladesh Army officials were transported to the International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka in comfort and safety previously unheard of in Bangladesh’s correctional system. These vans are equipped with advanced security features ensuring the protection court staff, detainees and observers alike.
Unlike older, overcrowded vans, the new vehicles offer cushioned seating, climate control, reinforced steel-bar partitions, surveillance cameras, ventilation ducts and safety locks in each compartment. Prison authorities emphasised that the vehicles represent a major step toward modernising prisoner transport while maintaining the highest security standards.
These modern vehicles should be used more frequently. The benefits are clear: safer transportation for high-risk convicts, reduced risk of escapes, protection for court staff and a more humane environment for prisoners. It’s time we fully embrace this advancement.
No one is guilty until proven otherwise. Every citizen, regardless of their crime, deserves to be treated with dignity. The old vans were cramped, poorly ventilated, and often left convicts falling ill during transport. By investing in modern vehicles like these, we can ensure safety, fairness, and humanity. This might be a major step toward building a better, more just Bangladesh.
