Since the in-person meetings are prohibited at jails due to pandemic, the prison authorities this year have allowed the inmates to talk to their near and dear ones three more minutes over the phone on Eid day.
Other than offering this privilege, the authorities have served special foods for all inmates in all the jails across the country, reports Bangla Tribune.
In the morning, the jail inmates were allowed to offer Eid prayers in congregation at respective wards in the jails.
According to the jail authorities, there were 73,729 people in 68 jails – 13 central jails and 55 district jails – as of Friday.
As per the Jail Code, a prisoner is given 10 minutes per week to talk to his/her relatives over the phone.
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Jailer Mahbubul Islam of the Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj said: “Physical meetings have remained suspended in all the jails of the country due to Covid-19. Even the supply of food items by relatives on special occasions is not being entertained now.
“Usually, an inmate is entitled to a 10-minute telephonic conversation with relatives a week. On the occasion of Eid, all the prisoners have been given an additional three minutes for the day.”
Meanwhile, the Department of Prisons this year too has provided special foods for the jail inmates.
On Friday, they were served puffed rice and Payesh (a traditional dessert) in the morning while their lunch menu included beef, chicken, aromatic rice, sweetmeat, soft drinks, and betel leaf and nut. For dinner, they had a special potato curry and fish with plain rice.
