The four jails in Sylhet division are struggling to cope with around double number of prisoners than their usual capacity.

Sylhet Central Jail and the district jails of Moulvibazar, Habiganj and Sunamganj have capacity to accommodate a total of 2,175 people but there are around 4,200 inmates.

On an average, around 150 people are sent to jails in the region daily while nearly the same number people are released, either on bail or after expiry of the term, jail officials said.

Sylhet Central Jail has to accommodate about 2,230 inmates against the capacity of 1,210.

Sunamganj district jail

has the worst situation, with over 600 inmates against the capacity of 149.

Moulvibazar and Habiganj district jails accommodate 645 and 700 people against the capacity of 316 and 500 inmates respectively.

Amid less than expected facilities due to the situation, sometimes unwanted exchanges occur between jail staff and prisoners.

Md Kamal Hossain, senior superintendent of Sylhet Central Jail, said, "To cope with the increasing number of prisoners, the government decided to shift the central jail from its present location at the heart of the city to Tukerbazar on the outskirts. Construction work for a new jail there is going on and it is expected to be completed by this year."