Photo: BSS

KHULNA, Sept 6, 2025 (BSS) - Construction of the newly built Khulna District Jail is still a few months away from full completion, but the prison authorities have already started taking charge of some finished structures.

The six-storey building for inmates and the main entrance gate have been formally handed over while prison guards were deployed to maintain security. No outsider is allowed inside the jail from today.

Officials said each building will be inspected this month and unfinished works will be completed one by one before taken over. Once the entire complex is officially handed over and manpower allocations are finalized, the transfer of prisoners will begin.

Though the main construction was completed two months ago, but the authorities have found a number of flaws during the handover process and have asked for corrections.

Earth work inside the compound remains incomplete, which led to delay the handover process. Initially May 25 was the schedule date for handover. But the date changed multiple times.

The project, undertaken to replace the century-old and overcrowded existing jail, is expected to significantly improve living conditions for inmates and working conditions for staffs through modern infrastructure and expanded capacity.

Khulna Jail officials during their recent visit to the site expressed dissatisfaction over the slow pace of work and called for faster completion.

PWD Sub-Divisional Engineer Rashedul Islam said the construction could not be completed in time due to issues with the contractor. However, all efforts are going on to finish the work with a couple of months.

Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the project in 2011 with an initial allocation of Taka 144 crore. The project work was scheduled to complete in June 2016. But following multiple deadline extensions and two budget revisions, the project cost now stands at Tk 288 crore.

The existing Khulna jail, constructed in 1912 on the banks of the Bhairab River, was originally designed to accommodate 678 inmates. But currently it accommodates more than 1,400. The aging structure has been deemed inadequate for ensuring safety and proper management, prompted the government to build the new complex.

The new prison is being constructed on about 30 acres of land near the Moyri project, beside the Khulna city (Rupsha Bridge) bypass road. The new jail complex resembles a modern residential area, featuring tiled walkways, landscaped gardens, and freshly painted buildings. The total number of structures in the complex is 52.

According to the master plan, the jail will have facilities for 2,000 prisoners in the first phase while finally it will accommodate 4,000 inmates.

Talking to BSS, PWD Divisional Engineer Rashidul Islam said the new complex includes separate barracks for male, female, and convicted inmates, along with separate facilities for juveniles.

It also houses a gallows, women’s daycare center, multiple work sheds, recreation centers, four kitchens, a men’s motivation center, a jail library, a school and a hospital, he said adding that the structures of the jail will also include staff quarters, an administrative building, a barber shop, and a laundry.

Inside the jail, every block is surrounded by boundary walls preventing contact between different categories of inmates. Nearly 5 kilometers of boundary walls, internal roads, drainage systems, a sewage treatment plant, rainwater harvesting facilities, two ponds, and solar power systems have already been completed.

The new jail has been designed as a correctional facility, featuring a 50-bed hospital, classrooms, play areas, and cultural activities for children. It also will provide separate work sheds and prayer spaces for male and female inmates, he added.
Executive Engineer of PWD in Khulna, Asaduzzaman told BSS that all major work are completed. Some defects have been detected during inspections and are being fixed immediately. Prison guards have already been deployed in a few buildings, and the handover process will begin this month.”

Jail Superintendent Nasir Uddin Pradhan said, the new jail will employ a total of 600 staffs, whereas around 200 are currently deployed at the old facility. Once operational, the jail will begin functioning in phases.

Member secretary of Khulna Civic Society Babul Howlader welcomed the government decision to build a new jail complex saying it reflects our long-standing demand for a modern correctional institution that upholds both security and human dignity.