Convicted prisoners engaged in productive work in different central Jails contribute over Tk one crore to the national exchequer every year without being paid for their labour, home ministry sources said yesterday.

Out of about 65.000 prisoners In jails now, 15,000 are convicts. Of them, about 4000 are engaged in industrial units at the Jails.

The earning from their products last year stood at Tk. one crore 21 lakh, the sources said.

Goods produced by prisoners arc sold through sales centres at the jails, and those have good demand, they said.

Prisoners sentenced to rigorous Imprisonment for long periods are usually engaged in weaving, carpet making, manufacturing bamboo and cane product and such other work to train them In different vocations so that they can be self-reliant when released, they

said

The practice of such labour without payment is being followed in the subcontinent since I pre-colouial days, one source said.

He avoided a direct reply when asked why prisoners in Bangladesh are not paid for their work while payments are made in some countries in the subcontinent.

Besides industrial units, prisoners are also engaged for cooking, cleaning etc.

If prisoners engaged in industrial units are paid, others will also raise the same de-

maud, he said.

The official said the central Jails accommodate prisoners three times their capacity.

He however said the government would think of setting up more industrial units and making payments for prisoners’ labour when the Dhaka Central Jail will be shifted to Kaslmpur. This will be followed in other central Jails gradually. he added