Two accused in separate murder cases have escaped from Dhaka courtrooms within a month, raising fresh concerns over security arrangements at court premises, including police vigilance, manpower shortages and surveillance gaps.
The latest incident occurred on Tuesday, when Md Kawsar Mia, an accused in the murder of garment worker Alo Akter, removed his handcuffs and fled from the dock of the Dhaka First Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court.
At around 12:40pm, Kawsar was appearing before the court of Acting Judge Mosaddeq Minhaj for a witness hearing. As no witnesses appeared, the court set January 28 for the next hearing. Constable Arafat, responsible for escorting the accused, had placed him in handcuffs in the dock. Kawsar escaped when the constable moved towards the front of the courtroom.
On October 6, another accused, Shariful Islam, escaped while being taken from a courtroom to the court lock-up after appearing before a metropolitan magistrate in a case filed with Kotwali Police Station.
Shariful had also escaped from the Dhaka Third Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court on June 19, 2025, in a murder case involving a teenager in Khilgaon. He allegedly assaulted a police officer and removed his handcuffs while being escorted from the courtroom.
The October case in which he was produced for testimony stemmed from his earlier escape. His second escape has further highlighted weaknesses in the court’s custody arrangements.
Manpower shortage and negligence
Sources at the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) prosecution division said around 500 accused are brought to the Dhaka Judge Court and Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court every day. A total of 438 police personnel are assigned to escort and guard them, but not all are available for the task at all times due to leave and other duties.
Police officials said manpower shortages make it difficult to provide additional security to accused in serious cases. However, they also identified negligence and lack of vigilance among escort personnel as major factors behind the escapes.
DMP Deputy Commissioner (Prosecution) Mohiuddin Mahmud Sohel said cases had been filed over the latest escapes and two police personnel had been temporarily suspended over alleged negligence. Police are also conducting operations to recapture the fugitives.
He said the accused often get an opportunity to escape when escorting constables leave them unattended while collecting custody warrants from court staff. He stressed the need to ensure that handcuffs are properly secured and that officers remain vigilant throughout the process.
Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court Public Prosecutor Omar Faruq Faruqi also blamed negligence and inadequate vigilance. He called for more police personnel and the deployment of experienced officers to escort the accused.
CCTV and access-control concerns
Security concerns extend beyond police escorts. More than half of the CCTV cameras installed at court premises are reportedly out of order, limiting surveillance of courtrooms, corridors, stairways, lock-ups and exits.
There are also complaints about uncontrolled access to court premises, with vendors, suspected pickpockets and other unauthorised people reportedly moving around without proper searches. Although police are stationed at the main gates, visitors are not always checked, according to people familiar with the situation.
Previous incidents underline the recurring nature of the problem. On February 17, 2025, rape case accused Shahidul Islam escaped from the Dhaka Chief Judicial Magistrate Court premises after removing his handcuffs. He was arrested a month later.
On November 16, 2024, robbery case accused Arifur Rahman fled from the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court after being ordered to be sent to jail.
In November 2022, two militants were snatched from police custody at a Dhaka court. Reports at the time pointed to failures to follow security procedures, including the use of handcuffs, bulletproof vests and helmets.
Lawyers and officials say preventing further escapes requires more than filing cases and suspending personnel after incidents. They call for clear escort protocols, adequate staffing based on the risk posed by each accused, functional CCTV cameras, proper searches at entry points and accountability for officers on duty.
Repeated escapes from court premises have raised questions not only about police security but also about the safety of the judicial process. According to experts, lasting improvements will require coordinated action rather than temporary measures after each incident.