HC asks to appoint 117 doctors for prisoners
STAFF REPORTER, Dhaka
The High Court (HC) yesterday directed the government to appoint 117 doctors against the vacant posts in prisons hospitals across the country.
It ordered the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) to submit a report before it within a month after complying with the directive.
The HC bench, comprising Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader, came up with the order during the hearing on a writ petition filed in this regard.
Supreme Court (SC) lawyer Md JR Khan Robin had on February 19 last year filed the writ petition seeking necessary order for the recruitment of physicians to the vacant posts in the prisons hospital.
During the days proceedings, Deputy Attorney General Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar submitted two reports by DG Health and Inspector General of Prisons (IG-Prisons) before the HC bench, saying that there are 117 posts of doctors vacant in 68 prisons hospital across the country.
On November 5, Inspector General of Prisons Brig Gen AKM Mostafa Kamal Pasha submitted a report that said there are only 10 physicians for a total of 68 prisons across the country with 131 posts in total remaining vacant as of now.
The report also said that the prisons have the capacity to accommodate 40,664 prisoners, whereas the number of inmates stood at 86,998 till August 27.
On November 18 last year, the High Court asked the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare about the actions, which were taken against the doctors, who did not join their prisons duty, and asked the ministry to submit a progress report.
Advocate JR Khan Robin stood on behalf of his writ petition while Deputy Attorney General ABM Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar represented the state.
