The Chittagong Central Jail in Bangladesh is reportedly holding more than three times its intended capacity, igniting outrage over inhumane living conditions and renewed calls for urgent reform.

According to a report by Prothom Alo, the prison — designed to house 1,853 inmates — is currently detaining around 6,000 prisoners daily. Despite repeated requests by the Prisons Department, no land has yet been allocated for constructing a new correctional facility.

“Despite repeated requests, we are not getting land for a new prison. If constructed, it could serve as a correctional facility with vocational training in fishing and garment industries,” said Mohammad Motahar Hossain, Director General of the Prisons Department.

The Chittagong district administration claims that land in Jangal Salimpur, identified for the new facility, remains under illegal occupation and cannot be handed over until reclaimed.

Political detainees have also spoken out. Shahadat Hossain, Mayor of Chittagong City Corporation and a Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader currently jailed in connection with a political case, described the conditions as “inhumane.”

“In a space meant for 30–40 people, 100 inmates are crammed together. There is a serious shortage of washrooms and basic facilities. This violates human dignity,” Hossain told Prothom Alo.

In October 2024, Bangladesh’s Department of Prisons reported that its 68 prisons were housing 53,831 inmates against a capacity of only 42,887.

Supreme Court lawyer and human rights activist Jyotirmoy Barua emphasized the constitutional implications: “Overcrowded jails are a human rights violation. The state must protect the rights of the accused, particularly those not yet convicted.”

Calls are growing for immediate relief measures and long-term infrastructure investment to ensure humane incarceration standards.