The newly constructed Chittagong Central Jail. PHOTO: ANURUP KANTI DAS

Despite completion of its Tk 58 crore expansion work, Chittagong Central Jail is still overstretched because of the very high number of prisoners.
At least 4,107 prisoners live in the 1,715-capacity Chittagong jail.
The work for expansion of the century-old jail started in July 1998 and ended on June 30, 2011 after 13 years.
The newly expanded Chittagong Central Jail will have the capacity of accommodating 1,715 prisoners, said Deputy Jailer Nur Mohammad Sohel, adding that there were 4,107 prisoners in the jail on Sunday.
The jail, founded in 1885 during the British regime, still bears the testimony to the incident of hanging of great anti-British movement hero Masterda Surya Sen and his companion Taroqeshwar Dastidar.
Sources said Chittagong Zila Jail started its journey in 1885 with a capacity of 747 prisoners. It was made Chittagong Central Jail in 1999.
Public Works Department (PWD) took the project worth Tk 60.35 crore titled 'Expansion and Modernisation of Chittagong Central Jail to upgrade it into a modern one when most of the buildings of this ancient jail became dilapidated. The PWD spent Tk 58,42,29,000 to complete the expansion work.
Rafiqul Kader Khokan, jailer of Chittagong Central Jail, said the project had been completed in three phases as all the old structures were demolished.
Sources said some 35 buildings have been constructed on an area of over 16.87 acres. The buildings housed quarters for the prisoners, separate prison cells for the VIP prisoners, work shed, rooms for female prisoners and separate cells for juvenile prisoners, an administrative building, a 100-bed hospital, three staff quarters, warden barrack, an office of PWD, ten condemned cells, 32 security cells, residences for the DIG prison and senior jail superintendent.
The project also includes a sentry post, a parade ground, a gallows-stage, an observation tower and a water pump, said the sources.
Sajal Biswas, executive engineer of PWD, said the project concluded with the saving of Tk 1,92,73,000. He said residences for prisoners keeping spacious walking area, bathrooms, entrances, store rooms and meeting place for the prisoners with their relatives have been built under the project.
Shahara in her speech as the chief gust at the inaugural ceremony said Chittagong is the land of anti-British hero Masterda Surya Sen as well as the second largest city in the country.
Terming Chittagong Central Jail the second largest jail in the country, she said all the vacant posts of this jail will be filled up very soon.
Deputy Commissioner of Chittagong Fayez Ahmed said 37 posts were lying vacant in the jail which should be filled up immediately to ensure its safety.
The gallows stage where anti-British hero Masterda was executed has been preserved to show respect to his supreme sacrifice for the country, said Jailer Rafiqul.