Rajshahi Central Jail
Major prison in Rajshahi, Bangladesh
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Rajshahi Central Jail (Bengali: রাজশাহী কেন্দ্রীয় কারাগার) is a prison in Rajshahi Division, Bangladesh. It is located on the northern bank of the Padma River in Rajshahi District.[4]
 Interactive map of Rajshahi Central Jail | |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Status | Operational |
| Security class | Maximum |
| Capacity | 1460[1] |
| Population | ~3500[2] (18 Nov 2023) |
| Opened | 1840 |
| Managed by | Bangladesh Jail |
| Warden | MD. Shah Alam[3] |
| Website | prison |
History
Rajshahi Jail was established in 1840 by the British colonial administration.[4] In 1914, during the British colonial period, it was upgraded to a central jail.[5] On 24 April 1950, the district police opened fire in the Khapra Ward of the jail after prisoners launched a hunger strike and protest against poor-quality food and mistreatment. Several active members of the Communist Party were killed in the incident, which is widely known as the Khapra Ward Massacre.[6][7] Various left‑wing organizations in Bangladesh observe 24 April to commemorate the event.[6][7]
Infrastructure and capacity
Rajshahi Central Jail is situated on 54.9610 acres of land. It has an official capacity of 1,460 inmates,[4][8] although, on average, around 3,500 detainees and convicts are held there.[8] The facility includes a hospital, a mosque, and a prison training academy. In addition, there are multiple cell blocks for inmates and separate buildings for prison guards and administrative officers.[5]
Notable prisoners
- Abdul Haque - Bangladeshi communist politician and anti‑colonial activist
- Aminul Islam Badsha - Bangladeshi language movement activist and freedom fighter
- Anwar Hossain - Bengali revolutionary student leader
- Bhabani Prasad Bhattacharya - Bengali anti‑colonial revolutionary
- Ila Mitra - Bengali communist and peasant leader
- Kazi Abdus Shahid Lal - Bangladeshi left‑wing politician and freedom fighter
- Mohammad Toaha - Bangladeshi communist leader and freedom fighter
- Md Asaduzzaman Asad - Bangladeshi MP from Rajshahi‑3
- Mohsin Uddin Ahmed - Bangladeshi army officer
- Moni Singh - Bangladeshi communist leader and freedom fighter
- Mujibur Rahman (officer, born 1953) - Bangladeshi army officer
- Shahid Saber - Bengali journalist and political activist