Seven prison guards have been temporarily suspended following the escape of a convicted female inmate from Kashimpur Central Women’s Prison in Gazipur, as Bangladesh’s prison authorities launched an investigation into what appears to be a serious lapse in security.
A three-member inquiry committee, headed by a senior jail superintendent, has also been formed to determine how the inmate managed to flee from one of the country’s high-security correctional facilities. Gazipur Deputy Commissioner Md Nurul Karim Bhuiyan confirmed the development on Saturday afternoon.
According to prison officials, the seven suspended staff members include three matrons and four female prison guards. The suspended matrons are Laila Anjuman Sumi, Marina and Rehena, while the female guards are Shaila, Sharmin, Jemi and Asma Akter.
Assistant Inspector General of Prisons (Development) Md Jannat-ul-Farhad said the officials were suspended on Friday after a preliminary assessment found evidence of negligence in the discharge of their duties. He added that the inquiry committee has been tasked with establishing the circumstances surrounding the escape and identifying any failures in supervision or security procedures.
Prison sources said the incident took place on Thursday evening while around 40 female inmates were engaged in carrying bricks inside the prison compound as part of authorised institutional work. During the activity, 21-year-old convicted inmate Mosammat Rimpa allegedly took advantage of a moment of reduced supervision and climbed over the boundary wall beside the prison’s administrative building before escaping.
The breach was not discovered immediately. Her absence came to light during the routine inmate headcount conducted later in the evening. Prison authorities subsequently reviewed CCTV footage, which confirmed that Rimpa had escaped by scaling the perimeter wall.
Officials said an immediate alert was issued following the discovery, and law enforcement agencies were informed. Police, along with other security agencies, are continuing search operations to locate and arrest the fugitive inmate.
Md Jannat-ul-Farhad said investigators would also examine how an inmate was able to escape from a correctional facility designed with multiple layers of security. The inquiry is expected to assess whether established operational procedures were properly followed, whether adequate supervision was in place during inmate work assignments, and whether additional disciplinary measures are warranted.
The escaped inmate, Rimpa, is the daughter of Md Hasan Habib of Raipur village in Gangni Upazila of Meherpur district. She had been serving a three-month sentence at Kashimpur Central Women’s Prison (Part-3) after being convicted by a mobile court under Dhaka’s Dhanmondi Police Station jurisdiction.
Although her sentence was relatively short, the escape has drawn renewed attention to security arrangements within Bangladesh’s prison system. Correctional facilities routinely require strict supervision whenever inmates are assigned work inside prison grounds, making the incident a matter of significant concern for prison administrators.
Prison authorities have indicated that the findings of the investigation will determine whether further administrative or departmental action is taken against those responsible. The inquiry is also expected to recommend measures to strengthen security protocols and prevent similar incidents in the future.
