Extortion in Chittagong Jail hospital

Prisoners holding several different posts at the Chittagong Central Jail Hospital have been allegedly extorting money from the common prisoners seeking hospital facilities, while jail authorities act as if they know nothing regarding the matter.

A jail source said; patients who actually need medical attention suffer severely as unruly prisoners make use of hospital facilities in exchange for money.

Most of the duties – bed allocation, patient care and distribution of food and medicine – are performed by prisoners, creating the scope for them to extort services in the 100-bed hospital where only a doctor and an attendant medicate the patients.

Taking advantage of the situation, ward boys, writers, the chief writer and food distributors allegedly accept Tk5,000-20,000 from the prisoners, in the name of healthcare, the source added.

Whoever pays the most money gets a bed, while others have to lie down on the floor despite some beds being vacant, the source informed.

Md Jahangir, the brother-in-law of a prisoner, alleged that his relative had paid the chief writer Tk18,000 while being admitted in the hospital.

They took the money saying that the doctor and the jail’s higher officials get a share of it, he said.

The relative of another prisoner, Anisur Rahman, said Anisur was admitted in the hospital for extra care in exchange for Tk10,000. However, within a few days he was sent to the general prisoner ward building, Padma-2, as he had refused to give them more money, he added.

Denying such allegations, Dr Mostafijur Rahman of the hospital, told the Dhaka Tribune that he knew nothing about any such activities.

On the other hand, Md Sagir Mia, senior jail super of Chittagong Central Jail, denied accepting any illegal money and said he would look into the matter.