Staff Reporter:
Inspector General of Prisons Brig. Gen. Syed Md Motaher Hossain has sounded a note of warning against drug abusers in prisons, saying, “No drug addict can do job/work in the Department of Prisons.”
“I’m getting huge allegations of drug abuse by prisoners, jail guards, officers and employees of the de-partment and we’re really scared about it,” he said while exchanging views with newsmen at the prison headquarters at Bangshal in Old Dhaka this afternoon.
Referring to an incident of handing over a jail guard to police after removing him from the job as he was found guilty of drug abuse, he said, “We will take stern action if anyone is found guilty to this end.”
The IG Prisons hinted at conducting dope test of the prison officials including the jail guards alongside enforcing stringent security measures and searches at jail gates to stop entry of drugs into the prisons to put an end to the problem.
“We’re working to reduce the entry of drugs into the jails to zero level,” he added.
The IG Prisons also announced war against corruption and irregularities in the prisons across the coun-try.
“There is a general perception that the Department of Prisons and (some of) its officials and employees have been indulging in corruption and irregularities, I do endorse it. If I don’t do that then I will try to cover up it. As I agree it that means I am taking the challenge to find out the corruption within the de-partment and go tough against it,” he said.
Motaher Hossain said he himself found some corruption in the department and is taking internal action against it.
“I will definitely take harder action against massive corruptions in the department after thorough investi-gation by the department itself and other agencies,” he assured.
The IG Prisons said he has been reshuffling the department with giving posting of skilled and honest officers at key points alongside taking steps to check corruption in the department.
Motaher Hossain said that he submitted his asset details yesterday in response to the government’s call as part of his move to make the Department of Prisons corruption free.
The other officials will submit their wealth statements in phases.
Additional IG Prisons Col. Sheikh Sujaur Rahman, DIG Prisons (HQ) Monir Ahmed, AIG Prisons (Admin) Abu Taleb and AIG Prisons (Development) Jannatul Forhad, among others, were present.
