Most prison authorities across the country are under pressure to screen jail inmates for coronavirus.
Police are taking initiative not to arrest people for certain low-level crimes to avoid the spread of COVID-19 in jails.
The prisons across the country were currently housing over 89,000 prisoners where the actual capacity is 41,244 persons.
As coronavirus is transmitted from one person to another Dhaka Central Jail has stopped allowing relatives of the prisoners from visiting the jail and meeting the prison inmates.
Mahabub Alam, jailor of Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj, told the Daily Observer the jail authorities have ensured basis protective measures like hand sanitizer, soap and facemask for the prison inmates in many of the facilities.
A court has granted bail to a jail inmate in Natore on suspicion of COVID-19 infection, a new strain of coronavirus infection. The inmate, Osman Goni, was first admitted to the Natore General Hospital isolation ward and later transferred to Dhaka on Monday to test for COVID-19 and for better treatment.
The hospital's Resident Medical Officer (RMO) Dr Rasel and Civil Surgeon Dr Mizanur Rahman confirmed the matter.
Superintendent of Police Liton Kumar Saha said after receiving the bail papers, the Health Department took steps to provide him with treatment.
Meanwhile, the jail authority failed to find out how Osman Goni carried coronavirus inside the jail. The jail authorities are yet to take any initiatives to screen others inmates for coronavirus infection where Osman Goni was interned.
The inmate was sent to jail on March 1, in a case filed over a fight, in Natore Sadar upazila, reports our Natore correspondent.
"Following this, they will be taken to another buffer ward, before being released into the general population [inside the prison]. This is an extra precautionary measure in case a healthy prisoner who is ready to leave the quarantine ward is infected by a new prisoner who is sick," Superintendent of Police Liton Kumar Saha said.
A high official at the police HQs told this correspondent that no arrest will be met of certain low-level criminals to avoid further spread of coronavirus.
Following this two-step quarantine, only healthy prisoners will be allowed to mix with the general population, as per the directives.
Amid the situation, authorities of Natore District Jail yesterday sent a prisoner to the isolation ward of a designated hospital after he was found to be showing coronavirus-like symptoms. Abdul Barek, Superintendent of Natore Jail, said.
Former Inspector General of Prisons opined that the state of overcrowding in prisons will affect hygiene and sanitation inside the prison.
"There is one toilet for every ten prisoners. Overcrowding means more people will be using one toilet," he said.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court administration directed jail authorities not to produce under-trial prisoners before lower courts during case proceedings till further orders, as a precaution to coronavirus outbreak.
Dum Dum Central Prison in West Bengal's capital Kolkata witnessed severe clashes on Saturday due to coronavirus that resulted in injury to several prison inmates and police had to use tear gas to control the unruly prisoners.
Inmates in a Sri Lanka prison scuffled with guards and some tried to escape during a protest against new strict measures to control the spread of the coronavirus, leaving two dead and six wounded, police said on Sunday.
