Security protocols at the lower courts in Dhaka have come under severe scrutiny once again after a high-profile detainee managed to escape custody on Tuesday (6 October). Shariful Islam, a notorious inmate transported from Kashimpur High Security Central Jail, vanished from the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court premises while being escorted back to the central lockup.
The incident unfolded shortly after midday following a scheduled hearing. Shariful had been produced before Metropolitan Magistrate Jamshed Alam for routine court proceedings. Upon the conclusion of the session, escort officers began moving him back towards the ground-floor holding cell. Taking advantage of the dense afternoon crowd navigating the corridor, the detainee slipped past the surrounding officers and fled the premises undetected.
The escape was discovered moments later, sparking immediate panic and chaos throughout the crowded judicial complex. Court security personnel quickly cordoned off the perimeter and initiated a thorough search across the building and adjacent alleys, though the fugitive had already managed to clear the outer gates.
This is not the first time Shariful has outmanoeuvred law enforcement in the exact same location. In June last year, he staged a violent escape while being transferred to the lockup at the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court. During that breach, he assaulted the officer on duty, leaving the policeman bloodied before fleeing into the surrounding streets. That attack triggered widespread outrage and prompted an intensive manhunt by a specialized police unit, which eventually tracked him down and re-arrested him at a hideout on the outskirts of the capital.
The recurrence of such a breach has exposed glaring vulnerabilities in the security apparatus governing trial courts. Legal experts and court visitors have raised urgent concerns regarding the enforcement of standard handling protocols, particularly the use of restraints during escort duty and the oversight of transit corridors. Questions are also being directed at the maintenance of close-circuit television (CCTV) coverage throughout the court precinct, alongside the potential negligence of the officers assigned to guard high-risk detainees.
Senior law enforcement officials confirmed that an internal inquiry has been launched to investigate whether negligence or operational failures contributed to the breach. Multiple specialized units have been deployed across the capital to locate Shariful, with checkposts erected at key exit points throughout the Dhaka metropolitan area. Surrounding districts have also been placed on high alert, while officials warned that any officer found guilty of dereliction of duty will face strict disciplinary action.
