Jail super, jailer withdrawn over Hallmark GM meeting woman in prison

Senior jail super Ratna Roy and jailer Nur Mohammad Mridha have been withdrawn from Kashimpur Central Jail-1 over allowing a prisoner to spend time alone with a woman inside the prison premises, violating the regulations.

Hallmark Group's General Manager Tushar Ahmed, brother-in-law of the company's Managing Director Tanvir Mahmud, reportedly met the woman inside the office a prison official on 6 January. 

So far, action has been taken against five officials of the jail in connection with the incident, said Inspector General of Prisons Brigadier General Md Mominur Rahman Mamun on Sunday, adding that all five officials have been attached to the headquarters. 

Deputy jailer Saqlain and two other officials of the Kashimpur Jail were withdrawn on Friday for allegedly facilitating the meeting. Two probe committees were also formed over the incident, jail authorities told The Business Standard.

A private TV channel published a report on Friday using CCTV footage of Tushar and the woman taken from inside the jail on 6 January, and it became the topic of heated discussions among people across the country almost immediately. 

In the video clip, Tushar was seen wandering casually in the office area of the prison. A woman entered the prison at 12:55pm, and deputy jailor Saqlain himself welcomed her at his office. 

Tushar then stayed alone with the woman at the office for about 45 minutes, the footage shows. The Hallmark Group's name is connected to one of the biggest financial scandals in Bangladesh.