Amid the widespread road-safety protests in early August, police arrested 22 private university students on charges of violence.
They were remanded for two days and spent 12 days in jail before being finally released on bail.
In the last instalment of a three-part series, the students give us a glimpse of how things are done inside prison
“It’s a different land with its own laws,” is how the East West University student described prison.
Besides the authority’s regulations, there is a different set of laws for inmates, set by the prison guards. “You cannot even sleep, let alone other things without keeping the guards happy.”
Usage of currency is prohibited inside the prison. So, instead of money, the prisoners and their guards have devised a new currency — cigarettes.
Prisoners give packets of cigarettes to the guards to get anything they want.
“A haircut will cost a pack of a specific brand of cigarette. Inside prison, a pack of that specific brand will cost Tk 85 to buy while you can sell it for Tk 60 and with that cash you can do things. For instance, if you pay in cash then a haircut and shave will cost Tk 100 or else two packs of cigarettes, that’s the currency there,” said the student, who preferred anonymity.
He says that cigarettes can make everything happen inside jail. “Actually, it’s more valuable than cash as everyone inside is interested in transaction with cigarettes.”
According to the students, each and every little thing inside will require cigarettes for prison guards.
For instance, food has been sent for an inmate from outside. The guard, who notifies the inmate, will charge in cigarettes. That’s the same for the other guard, who will take him to the room to get the food as well the man from whom the prisoner will get it.
“I don't smoke. But my family members use to supply me with pack of cigarettes. To buy better food and avail other facilities I had to bribe the guards with cigarettes. It is the only 'recognised' currency inside the jail,” said another student, who goes to East West University.
Sharing their experiences with Bangla Tribune, the students also said taking a bath was quite a task.
“The washrooms in the ward building do have bathing facilities, but it’s prohibited. It will be counted as a violation, but if you bribe the guards they will not report it. One of us had to give the guard a whole pack of rather an expensive brand of cigarette for taking a bath,” said another student.
The food in prison was of a very poor quality. The menu was fixed, bread and molasses for breakfast, rice and lintel for lunch and for dinner fish and vegetable with rice, according to the students.
“We seldom had prison food. We used to buy from the PC (prison corner) store. You will get everything there.
“The only thing is you will have to buy it their way. For instance, one piece of chicken will not be sold; you will have to buy seven pieces at least,” said Simanta Sarker, a computer science student at Southeast University.
Having tea was rather a unique experience.
“You can buy a very small cup of tea for Tk 5. But we bought teabags, sugar and powder milk from the store and the cell in-charge would provide hot water upon payment, in cigarettes,” said one of the students.
“The water used to arrive in glass jars, like the ones used for pickles. We made tea in the jars and used disposable cups from the store. Sometimes , we made cups out of plastic bottles,” he added.
The students said they had to take dinner quite early as the cells were locked at 5pm and nothing can be brought in after that.
“This is how spent days in prison until we were released on Aug 19 and 20. We are out, but still charged by police for violence. Don’t know whether they will be dropped or not,” said one of the students.