POBNEWS24 Dhaka Dec 24, 2025 : More than 700 convicts who escaped from prison have not been caught even after 16 months. They escaped from prison before or after August 5, 2024. As these convicts, who are facing murder cases and death sentences, have been on the run for a long time, a security threat has been created around the upcoming national elections. At the same time, many weapons and ammunition that were looted have not yet been recovered.
According to prison and police sources, there are also accused in serious cases related to murder, terrorism, robbery and militancy among these escaped convicts. Although many have been arrested after their escape, a large part is still out of reach. As these convicts, who are facing murder cases and death sentences, have been on the run for a long time, a security threat has been created around the upcoming national elections. At the same time, many weapons and ammunition that were looted have not yet been recovered.
According to prison and police sources, there are also accused in serious cases related to murder, terrorism, robbery and militancy among these escaped convicts. Although many have been arrested after escaping, a large portion is still at large.
Security analysts say that the elections are only a month and a half away. With the elections ahead, these absconding accused may engage in violence, intimidation or sabotage activities. This poses a risk of disrupting the security of voters and fair voting.
Recently, several incidents including the shooting of Osman Hadi, a potential candidate for Dhaka-8 constituency, and shooting during a candidate’s campaign in Chittagong have raised concerns about security concerns.
On June 25, 2020, Shakil Madbar, an eighth-grade student, was kidnapped in Jajira, Shariatpur and demanded ransom from his family. But when the ransom was not received, Babu and his associates killed Shakil and buried his body next to the under-construction railway bridge. After Shakil was arrested, the court sentenced him to death after a trial. Shakib was detained in Kashimpur High Security Prison in that case.
Shakib escaped from the high security prison on August 6, the day after the fall of the Awami League government in the July uprising. After 11 months, on September 18, the Anti-Terrorism Unit arrested Shakib, who was sentenced to death, from the Tejturi Bazar area under Tejgaon police station in Dhaka.
Like Shakib, 2,240 convicts escaped from jail after the July uprising. Of these, 1,520 prisoners have been brought back to prisons in various ways. Of those brought back, 1,130 have been granted bail. About 720 prisoners are still absconding.
Prisons Department sources said that prisoners rioted in several prisons in the country before and after the fall of the Awami League government in the July uprising on August 5 last year. During this time, 2,240 prisoners escaped due to extreme chaos and rebellion in five prisons in the country. The attackers looted 94 shotguns and Chinese rifles from the prison.
Six prisoners died while escaping from Kashimpur Central High Security Jail. The escaped prisoners include militants, death row inmates, lifers, and those serving various terms, as well as those facing pending cases. Of these, 203 are death row and lifers. There are cases against them on various charges including murder, robbery, anti-terrorism laws, weapons, drugs, rape, and torture of women.
On July 19, 2024, thousands of people broke through the gates of Narsingdi District Jail. They opened the cells of the prison and set it on fire. During this time, 826 prisoners, including 9 militants, escaped.
The prison’s jail superintendent Md. Tarek Kamal said that after the incident, the administration announced that no case would be filed against those who surrendered. At that time, 621 prisoners surrendered. In addition, the law enforcement agencies arrested 38 people, including three militants. 167 prisoners are still at large.
He also said that the online system of the prison office has been destroyed. As a result, they do not have detailed information about the escaped prisoners.
Prison sources said that on the evening of August 5 last year, miscreants broke into the main gate of the high-security central prison in Gazipur. At that time, they set fire to a warehouse building on the third floor inside the prison. They destroyed the prisoners’ files. Six prisoners died while trying to escape. 202 prisoners escaped from that prison. Most of them were in prison in cases under the Anti-Terrorism Act in connection with militancy.
Mohammad Abdullah-al-Mamun, the senior prison superintendent of the prison, said, “The law enforcement agencies have arrested 65 escaped prisoners so far. 137 prisoners are still at large.”
On the afternoon of August 5, miscreants broke into the main gate of Sherpur District Jail and attacked, vandalized, looted and set fire to it. Taking advantage of the situation, 518 prisoners in the prison escaped. During this time, the miscreants looted 9 firearms (5 Chinese rifles and 4 shotguns) from the prison.
Muhammad Abdus Selim, the district in-charge of the prison, said, “So far, the law enforcement agencies have arrested 138 people. 380 prisoners are still absconding. In addition, the law enforcement agencies have recovered 9 stolen firearms and 1,175 bullets.”
Prison sources said that on the afternoon of August 7, prisoners revolted inside the Kushtia District Jail. At one stage, 98 prisoners attacked the prison guards and escaped.
Inspector General of Prisons (IG-Prison) Brigadier General Syed Md. Motaher Hossain said, “2,200 prisoners, including those sentenced to death, life imprisonment and various terms, and those with pending cases, escaped from prisons. Of these, 1,500 were arrested and re-imprisoned, but 700 prisoners are still on the run.”
