A documentary published this week on the Facebook page of the Bangladesh Department of Prisons showcased well-furnished facilities, quality food, gymnasiums and skills development programmes for inmates. However, current and former inmates say the reality inside prisons is markedly different, as authorities struggle to manage a prison population more than double the system's capacity.
Law enforcement agencies have been arresting more than 1,000 people daily through regular and special operations aimed at curbing crime. Weapons, ammunition, drugs and locally made firearms are also being recovered during these drives.
In an operation by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), 510 people were arrested and 48 cases filed in the capital over the past 24 hours. Despite the large number of arrests, however, crimes including murder, mugging, extortion, drug-related offences and juvenile gang activities remain difficult to control, raising concerns about the country's law and order situation.
Meanwhile, a study published in the United Kingdom has found that Bangladesh has the highest prison overcrowding rate relative to capacity among South Asian countries. For every 100 places available in the country's prisons, there are 226 inmates.
Crime analysts say arrests are only the first step towards controlling crime, arguing that proper investigations and swift justice are not being ensured. They also say criminals continue to flout the law because law enforcement agencies are failing to take sufficiently stringent measures to prevent crime.
More than 1,000 arrested daily
According to DMP figures, 5,005 people were arrested on various allegations in the capital over 11 days, from October 1 to October 11. During the same period, 580 cases were filed for various offences, with the number of arrests averaging 455 a day.
Data from the Police Headquarters show that 53,518 people were arrested during special police operations between May 1 and August 26, 2026. Including approximately 150,000 arrests in other cases and operations, the total stood at 195,146, averaging around 1,650 arrests a day.
Speaking to Dhaka Tribune on Wednesday afternoon, Additional Inspector General of Police at the Police Headquarters Md Sayedur Rahman said: “Arrest is only a process of bringing a criminal under the law. Crime cannot be controlled through arrests alone. Prevention is another measure. If there is a risk of deterioration in the law and order situation somewhere, the police take preventive action.
“To reduce crime, social resistance must also be built alongside the efforts of law enforcement agencies. If someone repeatedly commits the same offence, they must be brought under exemplary punishment.”
Prisoner numbers by country
Sri Lanka is close to Bangladesh in terms of prison overcrowding, while India and Pakistan are in comparatively better positions.
World Prison Brief (WPB), an online database maintained by the Institute for Crime and Justice Policy Research at Birkbeck, University of London, publishes statistics on prison populations worldwide. Its data on Bangladesh are based on information from the Department of Prisons.
According to WPB, Bangladesh's prisons have an official capacity of 45,186 inmates. In September this year, the prison population stood at 102,180, meaning the facilities were operating at 226.1% of their intended capacity. The country has 59 prisoners for every 100,000 people.
Data from the Department of Prisons indicate that the inmate population has increased further. As of October 14, the number of inmates stood at 130,128 against an official capacity of 45,186.
Among other South Asian countries, prison populations stand at 216% of capacity in Sri Lanka, 163% in Pakistan, 144% in Nepal, 113% in India and 112% in Myanmar.
Globally, the Republic of the Congo has the highest prison occupancy rate, at 617% of capacity. Nauru has the lowest, with its prisons holding inmates equivalent to just 14% of their intended capacity.
Speaking to Dhaka Tribune on Wednesday afternoon, Additional Inspector General of Prisons Md Jahangir Kabir said: “The 75 prisons in the country have a total capacity of 45,186 inmates. Currently, there are more than 100,000 prisoners. We struggle to manage the pressure caused by the excess number of inmates. Our workload increases, and we also have to perform additional duties.”
He added: “If a family has five members and another five guests arrive, it creates pressure on that family. We are facing the same kind of pressure.”
More prisoners awaiting trial
According to the Department of Prisons website, Bangladesh's prison system dates back to 1788, when a criminal ward was established in Dhaka. Prisons were subsequently built in Dhaka, Rajshahi, Jessore and Comilla in 1836. The Dhaka and Rajshahi prisons were declared central prisons in 1929.
The country now has 75 prisons, including 15 central prisons and 60 district prisons.
According to WPB data, 66.9% of inmates in Bangladesh's prisons are pretrial detainees. This means approximately two-thirds of those behind bars have yet to be sentenced.
Speaking to Dhaka Tribune on Wednesday evening, Assistant Inspector General of Prisons (Development) Muhammad Enayet Ullah said: “As of October 14, the total number of inmates stood at 130,128. More than 75,000 of them are awaiting trial. The number of prisoners awaiting trial is increasing the pressure on prisons.”
Inhumane conditions
Although Bangladesh's prisons hold nearly three times their official capacity according to the latest Department of Prisons figures, medical services remain inadequate. Fifty-four prisons have no ambulances, while only two permanent doctors are available against 151 sanctioned positions.
The longstanding medical crisis in the country's prisons means inmates sometimes die on their way to hospitals when they require emergency treatment. Questions have also been raised about the quality of food served to prisoners, while complaints about prolonged delays in securing bail have persisted for years.
A recently released former inmate told Dhaka Tribune that overcrowding in prisons had increased significantly.
“There is no room anywhere, from the toilets to the sleeping areas. We have to live crammed together in congested conditions. It is almost as if one person's nose touches another person's nose. The food is not particularly good either. There are cockroaches, mosquitoes and flies. The excessive number of people creates a terrible stench. We have to sleep packed tightly together on the floor,” he said.
He added: “The most alarming thing is that when someone falls ill, a doctor is not available. There are also no ambulances to take them to hospital. I have seen people suffer strokes and die before my eyes, and there is nothing we can do.”
Speaking to Dhaka Tribune on Wednesday, senior Supreme Court lawyer Mohammed Saeed Ahmed Raza said: “Recently, we have seen arrests in political cases, particularly arrests followed by shown arrests. More than 1,500 people are being arrested daily. However, prisons do not have enough space to accommodate them.
“This violates the human rights of accused persons, while the excessive pressure on inmates is making the judicial system completely fragile. The state must ensure that no one remains imprisoned without committing a crime.”
No psychiatrists
According to WPB and a 2024 study, mental health conditions in prisons across Southeast Asia are a serious and neglected concern. Overcrowding and a severe shortage of mental health services have contributed to the prevalence of mental disorders among prisoners in the region, with estimates ranging from 40% to 100%.
Prison sources say each prison has a designated post for a psychiatrist, but none has a specialist in the position. Inmates in almost all prisons are living in inhumane conditions and suffering from mental and physical health problems without receiving adequate treatment.
Prisoners with health conditions require regular counselling and specialised treatment. There are also no doctors specifically assigned to care for inmates with disabilities.
Speaking to Dhaka Tribune, Additional Inspector General of Prisons Md Jahangir Kabir said: “There are no mental health specialists in prisons. If an inmate requires psychiatric treatment, we send them to the National Institute of Mental Health and Hospital. We provide medical services with assistance from district civil surgeons. We also face a shortage of ambulances.”
He said the problems had been communicated to the Ministry of Health and the relevant government departments.
What crime experts say
Asked why crime remains difficult to control despite the large number of arrests, Dhaka University teacher and crime expert Dr Md Tawohidul Haque told Dhaka Tribune that shortcomings in law enforcement, political and social influence, and structural weaknesses were among the main reasons.
He said some accused people exploit legal loopholes and prolonged judicial proceedings to secure their release before becoming involved in crime again.
The crime expert said arrests alone could not control crime, stressing the need for impartial investigations and swift justice.
