The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The prison authorities yesterday sent back three more VIP prisoners to Dhaka Central Jail from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) for violating the jail code.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG-Prisons) Maj Shamsul Haider Siddiqui said that they returned detained former BNP lawmakers Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu and Salauddin Ahmed, who were undergoing treatment in the prison cell of BSMMU, to the central jail yesterday morning. And another VIP detainee, Abul Hashem, chairman of Partex Group, was supposed to be brought back to jail yesterday evening.

The punitive action was taken as some items proscribed under the jail codes were found in their possession, officials said.

Maj Siddiqui said prison guards Sunday seized two mobile-phone sets from the policemen guarding the cabin of BNP senior joint secretary Tarique Rahman, eldest son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, also detained in a special prison house since her arrest.

The DIG (Prisons) further said that they also found two SIM cards with SQ Chowdhury and former BNP minister Tariqul Islam on Sunday.

Following the recovery, the prison authorities led by Inspector General (IGP) Brigadier General Zakir Hasan sat at an emergency meeting with hospital authorities and decided to send those prisoners back to jail," he said.

The DIG said the jail authorities from the emergency meeting also imposed some codes of conduct on prisoners, doctors and nurses so that such things do not happen in the future.

The new codes of conduct provide that not more than one prisoner at a time would be taken out for medical check-up or tests, mobile sets have been restricted in the prison cell area, and doctors and nurses not allow to carry food from outside.

Under the tightened measures, physicians, nurses and other staff members must take entry pass before entering the prison cell.

Earlier on Sunday, former BNP MP Mosaddek Ali Falu and Jamaat leader and ex-MP Syed Abdullah Mohammed Taher were brought back to jail from the prison cell of BSMMU on similar allegation.