Rajshahi to get modern jail training academy

A modern jail training academy is being built in the city aimed at developing skilled workforces through time-fitting training for prison management properly.

The Department of Public Works (PWD) has been constructing the academy on 24 acres of land of the 66-acre compound of Rajshahi Central Jail with an estimated cost of around Tk 73.42 crore.

The Department of Jail has taken a project titled “Jail Training Academy, Rajshahi”.

The academy will have administrative and academic block-cum-multipurpose auditorium, a six-storied trainee barrack for female staff and another two- storied barrack for male staff, a parade ground, space for guard of honour, boundary wall with gate and number of multi-storied residential buildings.

Project Director Dr Sonjoy Chakravarty said 60 per cent works of the project were completed.

But some new issues like setting up air condition, lift, water treatment plant, rainwater harvesting, two new floors in MI building and dining-cum-kitchen room were added to the previous plan, he said.

This new additional ideas will increase project cost by 25 percent as full construction is expected to be completed by one or one and a half year next, he added, reports BSS.

Upon successful implementation of the project, around 500 jail wardens and officials will get scopes of getting modern training here as currently 320 get the opportunity, said PWD Executive Engineer Harunar Rashid.

In future, the academy will turn into a unique institution of imparting training to the jail officials and guards in the country. This will be the second largest training institution in Rajshahi after the Bangladesh Police Academy at Sarda.