Bangladesh has become number one in South Asia in terms of overcrowding in prisons. Against a capacity of 45,186, there are now 106,000 inmates. That means 226 prisoners for every 100 available places. This record has been set under the BNP’s so-called government, which has seized power illegally.
For those who remember the misrule of 2001–06, this is nothing new. The same old game has returned in 2026: arrest them, put them behind bars, and don’t even mention bail. The Inspector General of Prisons himself says that the increasing number of arrests during ongoing operations is putting pressure on the prison system. Around 67 percent of prisoners have not yet been sentenced. In other words, two out of every three people in prison have not even been found guilty. Can you imagine? If this is not a violation of human rights, then the definition of human rights urgently needs to be rewritten.
A large portion of these prisoners are innocent leaders and activists of the Awami League who have allegedly been imprisoned after being implicated in false politically motivated cases. Medical care inside the prisons is inadequate, the quality of food is questionable, and bail remains out of reach. Former Justice Moinul Islam Chowdhury says prisoners are being forced to live in inhumane conditions. Experts have confirmed that under the BNP’s misrule, prisons have been turned into centers for eliminating the Awami League.