BANGLADESH. DHAKA PLANS SPECIAL JAIL FOR DEATH ROW PRISONERS

July 2, 2005: it was reported that Bangladesh was planning a special jail for prisoners on the death row. Currently 655 prisoners condemned to death were in prisons scattered across the country. The government had only 53 cells for condemned prisoners with each cell made for accommodating only one convict. The establishment of Speedy Trial tribunals to deal with criminal cases in the country had led to a large number of accused being handed sentences. However, due to the disposal of appeals of death row convicts being slow, their numbers had increased because the executions could not be carried out. Nine Speedy Trial tribunals disposed of 650 cases since November 2002, when they were set up, sentencing 311 people to death. Since 2001, sessions courts had awarded death sentences to 123 convicts. (Sources: Hindustan Times, 02/07/2005)