Cold multiplies woes of jail inmates in Nilphamari prison

Severe cold has multiplied woes of jail inmates here.

The district is situated near the Himalayan range where winter is much intense in comparison with other parts of the country. But prisoners of the jail get the same number of blankets as supplied in all jails throughout the country.

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Three hundred fifty prisoners huddle at the jail now which has a capacity to accommodate 90 prisoners only. Of them 80 are convicted prisoners while 260 are under-trials. Prisoners and under-trials include 12 women.

Every winter each prisoner is supplied with three blankets. One blanket is for spreading on the floor, one for using as a pillow and the other one to use as a wrapper, jail sources informed. But most of the blankets torn away which do not come to good use of prisoners.

"On the pucca floor which is as cold as ice in the winter, one blanket is unable to prevent cold of the floor,"

said Tajoddi Mamud of Ramnagar village who was released recently after serving five years jail term. He was narrating his experience in the district jail to this correspondent.

"Prisoners try to prevent cold by spreading two blankets at a time. Even two blankets are unable to prevent cold of the floor," he added. As a result many prisoners suffer from cold-related diseases. Prisoners who are above 50 are the worst sufferers.

Moreover, the entire atmosphere of the jail always remains dam.

Under the circumstances, prisoners suffer from various diseases like asthma, bronchities, cold diarrhoea, dysentry and skin diseases.

But it is a strange that there is no physician in the so-called district jail. Only a pharmacist works here.

While this correspondent approached the jailor of the district prison, Mokhlesur Rahman he told this correspondent that two months ago a physician named Fazlul Huq was appointed here as a prison doctor, but he did not take over his charge here. He further informed that a few days ago an asthma patient was shifted to Rangpur Central Jail as his condition became critical.

He further said that to face the situation here he already sent a message to the higher jail authorities in Dhaka to supply adequate blankets.

In reply to a question, he told that the local Social Welfare Department had distributed sweaters to all the 12 women prisoners of the jail.

Apart from the jail, the situation in six thana hajats (prisons) is miserable. Long ago only four blankets were supplied to each thana. But some of the blankets are old and worn out. As a result plight of the arrested persons is beyond description.