The district jail authorities of Moulvibazar have released four prisoners while four more are set to be released after they pay their fines, confirm the jail authorities.
“We received orders to release the eight prisoners, and a process to release more to minimise the risk of coronavirus infection in the crowded jail is ongoing," said Md Anowarujjaman, Superintendent of the district jail on Saturday.
“The rest four will be released after they pay their fines to the authorities," added the official.
There are around 90,000 prisoners at 68 jails across the country, against a capacity of 41,244, posing a high risk of coronavirus transmission inside the prisons.
Public health specialists have expressed concern that many prisoners might contract coronavirus in the densely populated jails plagued by unhealthy and unhygienic living conditions.
At least 13 prison guards, who watched over inmates at hospitals, and a hospitalised inmate tested positive for coronavirus so far.
