The prison authorities revoked division facilities for four high-profile inmates, including a former minister and members of parliament, due to misconduct, bribery, and inappropriate behaviour behind bars.
These individuals are now being kept in regular prison cells alongside general inmates.
According to official sources at Dhaka Central Jail and Kashimpur Prison, the division of Dilip Kumar Agarwala, Managing Director of Diamond World and a member of the ruling Awami League’s central sub-committee, was revoked after CCTV footage and specific complaints revealed he had attempted to obtain special privileges in exchange for money.
Suraiya Akter, superintendent of Dhaka Central Jail, said: Based on concrete evidence and CCTV footage, Dilip Kumar Agarwala’s division status was canceled a few days ago.
Former Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder was also stripped of his privileges after reportedly demanding air conditioning and home-cooked meals, and allegedly offering bribes to fulfill these requests. He also misbehaved with prison staff when his demands were not met, the sources said.
Additionally, they said, former Chief Whip A S M Feroz and Rajshahi MP Enamul Haque lost their division status for similar misconduct and misbehavior.
“Any inmate who violates prison rules is subject to disciplinary action, regardless of their status. Division privileges can be withdrawn for such violations. One inmate in Dhaka and three in Kashimpur have been penalised,” said Inspector General of Prisons, Brigadier General Syed Mohammad Mohtaher Hossain.
According to Md. Jannatul Farhad, AIG (Prisons), there are currently about 150 VIP inmates across the country’s prisons receiving division status.
Among them, 61 are in Dhaka Central Jail, another 61 across the three male units of Kashimpur Prison, and 4 in its women’s facility. Others are housed in prisons in Chattogram, Rajshahi, Kishoreganj, Tangail, Narayanganj, Rajbari, Madaripur, Dinajpur, Noakhali, Brahmanbaria, Bagerhat, and Barishal.
Among these VIP inmates are former secretaries, ex-IGPs, and military officials, reflecting a sweeping crackdown amid ongoing investigations.