(BSS) - Religious Affairs Adviser Dr. A. F. M. Khalid Hossain today underscored the need for taking initiatives to ensure that the prisoners who are part of society do not get involved in crime again after being released from prisons.

“They should have a chance to correct themselves. Arrangements should be made in prisons so that prisoners can return to normal life,” he told reporters after visiting Dhaka Central Jail today.

The adviser said religious and moral education is being conducted by the Islamic Foundation in this prison.

Here, a teacher from the Islamic Foundation teaches Islamic religious education to prisoners and detainees and some of the prisoners are also involved in this work.

“We will appoint more religious teachers in this prison as per the demand of the prison authorities. We will also appoint religious teachers for the Hindu community detainees and prisoners imprisoned here,” he said.

Khalid said due to the security of the prison and some strategic reasons, it is not possible to build a mosque, temple or any other religious institutions inside the prison.

The prison authorities have been requested to take measures so that the prisoners can practice their religion and worship in each ward, he said, adding for this, the necessary materials including prayer mats, carpets and religious books will be provided by the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

The adviser visited the central maktab, hifz branch, library, meditation and physical exercise center, computer training center, kitchen, various technical branches, wards and cells of the prison and spoke to the detainees and prisoners.

He promised to provide religious books and papers from the Islamic Foundation to Dhaka Central Jail as soon as possible.

Islamic Foundation started a prison maktab in Dhaka Central Jail since September 2018. Currently, twelve maktabs are operating in this prison.

As of June 30, 8,222 prisoners have learned Arabic and 2,470 prisoners have learned the Quran from these maktabs. So far, the Quran has been completed 2,500 times.

During the prison inspection, Islamic Foundation Director General A. Salam Khan, IG (Prison) Syed Md. Motaher Hossain, AIG (Prison) Jahangir Kabir and Senior Jail Superintendent Suraiya Akhter were present, among others.