A life-term prisoner at Kashimpur High-Security Central Jail in Gazipur was taken to hospital after suffering severe abdominal pain, with doctors later recovering more than 50 gas lighters, nail clippers, screws and brick fragments from his stomach.
The prisoner, Hasmat Ali, 44, underwent surgery at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on November 4 after doctors diagnosed him with a condition described as “acute abdomen with an epigastric mass”.
Hasmat is the son of the late Chamed Ali Chamer of Ramdebpur village in Ghatail upazila of Tangail. He is serving a life sentence in connection with a criminal case.
Abdullah Al Mamun, senior jail superintendent of Kashimpur High-Security Central Jail, said Hasmat complained of abdominal pain at around 7:30pm on October 31.
He was initially transferred to Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj before being admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment.
Mamun said Hasmat had been emotionally distressed following his father's murder. While in prison, he expressed interest in engaging in various activities to cope with his mental distress.
The prison authorities subsequently assigned him cleaning duties. While working, Hasmat allegedly collected discarded gas lighters from rubbish and swallowed them.
He eventually fell ill and was taken to hospital, where medical examinations revealed the objects in his stomach, prompting doctors to perform surgery.
Mamun said Hasmat was currently in stable condition and receiving treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital under the custody of Dhaka Central Jail authorities.