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The facilities at Mymensingh Central Jail are largely outdated, leading to the announcement of the abandonment of several structures years ago.
To address this, the Department of Prisons and the Public Works Department launched the 'Expansion and Modernisation of Mymensingh Central Jail' project, approved in December 2015, aiming to replace the old structures with a modern facility with contemporary amenities.
The project was initially approved with an estimated implementation cost of Tk 127.60 crore from July 2015 to June 2018. Following that, the project's duration was extended four times by a year each without any increase in costs.
The project's objective was to enhance the prison's holding capacity from 996 to 2,000 inmates alongside improving inmates' living conditions by providing modern infrastructure and safeguarding the prison area. The key components of the project were the construction of residential and non-residential buildings, land development, the establishment of a new jail hospital, and the procurement of security and other essential equipment.
Under the project, the jail was supposed to get nine dormitories, 12 non-residential buildings, a hospital, and land afforestation. Authorities were also supposed to develop 15.26 acres of land.
On April 18, 2023, a first revision was made with an allocated budget of Tk 240.15 crore and the timeframe was extended to June 2025, which is an 88.20 per cent increase in costs and a 233.33 per cent extension in terms of duration.
However, as of April 2024, the project's financial progress stood at only 37.23 per cent, with physical work progress at only 46 per cent. Despite nearly 9 years having passed already, the project's progress has not met expectations, found an in-depth monitoring conducted by the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED).
The project's slow progress can be attributed to several factors, as detailed in the IMED report. These include revisions to the master plan, which expanded the scope of work and added new components, delays in initiating construction due to existing old structures on site, additional time spent on design drawings, disruptions caused by nationwide Covid-19 lockdowns, and logistical challenges posed by the presence of inmates at the old facilities.
Consequently, the IMED report outlines that completing the remaining 62.77 per cent of the financial and 54 per cent of the engineering works within the scheduled timeframe will be a significant challenge.
However, progress has been made on a few key tasks. Residential buildings of 800 and 1,000 square feet are complete, and 90 per cent of the work of a 600-square-foot residential building is finished. Additionally, the construction of the senior jail superintendent's 1,250-square-foot residence is about 10 per cent complete.
A workshed for male inmates has been completed and handed over to the authorities. Additionally, 86 per cent of the adolescent inmates' ward construction is complete, pending painting and grill installation. However, this ward is located in the extended part of the main jail, so it cannot be handed over until the fencing work is finished.
An ill-planned project
After Mymensingh was made a division, the jail needed to be transformed into a central jail from a district jail. Over time, the authorities brought changes to the master plan, and there were some drawbacks since the beginning of the project.
The lack of a feasibility study prior to initiating the project has led to various issues during the implementation phase. While some construction contract packages have achieved 80-90 per cent completion, the remaining tasks are delayed due to variations in rate schedules.
Although the construction work for the 800 and 1000-square-foot residential buildings has been completed, these buildings have not yet been handed over to the authorities. As a result, various items such as window grills and pieces of glass are being stolen from the site; also, the shutters on the windows have rusted and deteriorated over time due to the prolonged delay.
The swift removal of approximately 38 old structures is a massive challenge, says IMED, as the authorities are still using these structures. While construction work is delayed, on one hand, these structures, on the other hand, cannot be demolished until the authorities vacate them.
"The timely relocation of prisoners cannot be achieved without adequate funding for essential expenses. Insufficient budget allocations for these purposes have caused significant issues. A large pond situated in front of the main gate and along the boundary fence of Mymensingh Central Jail poses a potential security risk," the report states.
"If there is no provision for necessary expenses to be incurred during the relocation of inmates, then it will not be possible to implement the project on time. Specifically, land development and boundary fencing are critical needs, and due to insufficient budget allocations, problems have risen. A large pond situated in front of the main gate and along the boundary fence of Mymensingh Central Jail poses a potential security risk," the report reads.
During an interview, officials of the Mymensingh Central Jail told the IMED team that the current holding capacity of the prison is 996 inmates, while it currently houses 1,836. This overcrowding has led to many falling ill from suffering heat strokes during the past summer, with many inmates needing to be hospitalised.
Several sections of the prison, deemed unfit by the PWD, have already been abandoned. This has intensified the accommodation crisis in older jails, whereas the newer prisons do not encounter these challenges.
Officials said that the Narayanganj Jail, with a holding capacity of 500, houses between 1,600 to 1,700 inmates, Tangail Jail accommodates 1,400 to 1,500 in its 500-capacity facility, and Jamalpur Jail holds 900 to 1,000 inmates in a space meant for only 300.
Inmates endure considerable discomfort, often forced to sleep in overcrowded conditions and struggling to stay cool, particularly during hot weather when fans do not provide adequate relief. They believe relocating inmates to the newer prisons will significantly alleviate these issues.
Project Director Shubhrata Roy acknowledged that issues regarding the release of funds have plagued the project from the start. Additionally, fluctuations in the costs of construction materials and alterations to the construction plans have further delayed progress.
"We are actively trying to solve the problems and finish the work soon," he stated.
