The jail is believed to have become a den of drug peddling and other anti-social activities. But the news of the raid had somehow been leaked out and the raiders found very little to justify an operation on that scale. What is particularly worrying is that the jail is a closed quarter where the government is supposed to have absolute control, but it seems the Dhaka Central Jail has become a burrowed place where all kinds of illegal activities can be carried out. If an operation in a jail fails, what can people expect when the law enforcers are combating criminal activities in open places? It seems secrecy is no longer a part of special drives or missions.

The only explanation for the leakage of news is that the whole system is riddled with corruption and inefficiency.

The jail authorities are supposed to have their own system of gathering information regarding anything going on within the jail. And an internal mechanism should be in place to deal with illegal activities. What is the point of deploying such a huge contingent of law enforcers and finally achieving nothing? It's another example of how not to address a problem.

It would be no exaggeration to say that many of our jails have become an extension of the underworld that most of the prisoners belonged to, before they were imprisoned. And the situation has turned critical as there are a large number of under-trial prisoners, many of whom have suffered long sentences without ever being convicted. Such a state of affairs can only spawn frustration. Furthermore, the jails are overcrowded with the facilities available to the prisoners being hopelessly inadequate.

The decision makers must have been prompted by the reports of illegal activities in the jail before they decided to order the raid. However, it is essential that the conditions in the jails are improved and monitored regularly so that the situation never goes out of control.