Bangladesh’s prison system is facing severe overcrowding, with 93,440 inmates being held in 75 prisons designed to accommodate just 45,286 people—more than twice the official capacity.
The prison population stood at roughly 206% of the system’s capacity as of July 30, according to figures cited by Bangladeshi daily the Kalbela. The pressure has intensified amid a large number of arrests and prosecutions following the fall of the Awami League government in August 2024.
Awami League figures prominent among political detainees
Prison sources cited in the report said that, between September 2024 and July 30, 2026, 45 former Awami League ministers and state ministers, 76 former MPs, 53 police officers and 18 bureaucrats were in custody.
These figures include people detained in connection with cases arising from the 2024 July-August uprising and other cases filed after the change of government.
Among the prominent former Awami League ministers reported to have been imprisoned in connection with July Uprising-related crimes are former law minister Anisul Huq, former industries minister Amir Hossain Amu, former agriculture minister Md Abdur Razzaque, former law minister Qamrul Islam, former commerce minister Muhammad Faruk Khan, former education minister Dipu Moni and former state minister Golam Dastagir Gazi. Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha reported that these and other former ministers were among those in custody in cases before the International Crimes Tribunal.
The cases are part of a much broader judicial process. According to Bangladesh’s law minister, 80 cases involving crimes against humanity during the July 2024 uprising had been filed before the International Crimes Tribunals by June 2026. A total of 463 people had been accused, of whom 174 had been arrested, while 288 were absconding. Seven cases had already resulted in verdicts involving 59 defendants.
Sheikh Hasina remains the central figure
Former Prime Minister and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina, who went Bangladesh for India after her government fell on August 5, 2024, remains a central accused figure in several cases connected to the crackdown on the uprising.
Bangladesh authorities have sought her return, while Hasina has rejected the allegations as politically motivated. In August 2026, she again called for the ban on the Awami League to be lifted and demanded the release of what she described as political prisoners.
Human Rights Watch has also reported that hundreds of Awami League leaders, members and supporters are in custody as murder suspects, many of them awaiting trial and routinely denied bail. The organization has raised concerns about politically motivated or arbitrary detention, while noting that such practices had also existed under the previous Awami League government.
The Awami League itself has described the post-August 2024 arrests and prosecutions as a campaign of political persecution. The authorities, however, maintain that the cases are part of accountability proceedings over alleged crimes committed during the uprising.
Thousands accused in July Uprising cases
The scale of the post-uprising legal process extends well beyond senior political figures.
Bangladesh’s Criminal Investigation Department has investigated 113 cases linked to the 2024 uprising, including 65 murder cases, involving thousands of accused. Many of the cases name Sheikh Hasina and former members of her cabinet.
As of July 30, prison sources cited by Kalbela said 465 people were imprisoned in murder cases related to the July Uprising, while another 371 were detained in attempted-murder cases.
The figures illustrate why political and uprising-related cases have become an important factor in the country’s rapidly growing prison population.
More than 63,000 prisoners awaiting trial
Despite the large number of politically sensitive detainees, the prison crisis is not solely a political phenomenon.
Of the 93,440 prisoners recorded on July 30, only 30,385 were convicted prisoners. Roughly 63,000 were undertrial detainees, meaning their cases had not yet reached a final verdict.
The dominance of undertrial prisoners is a longstanding feature of Bangladesh’s prison system. In October 2025, approximately 73.75% of nearly 80,000 prisoners were awaiting trial, according to figures cited in the report.
Experts say lengthy judicial proceedings mean that people can spend years in prison before their cases are finally resolved.
Prison population far above international standards for humane detention
Bangladesh’s prison occupancy rate of approximately 206% of official capacity presents a serious challenge to internationally recognized standards for detention.
The UN Nelson Mandela Rules do not establish one universal numerical prison-occupancy limit. However, they require prisoners to be provided with adequate accommodation, floor space, ventilation, sanitation, lighting, bedding, healthcare and other conditions necessary to protect human dignity.
At more than twice its intended capacity, Bangladesh’s prison system faces obvious difficulties in meeting those requirements.
Human rights activist Nur Khan Liton said overcrowding affects food, sanitation, healthcare, accommodation and prisoners’ ability to move freely. He warned that the problem becomes even more serious when prison staffing levels are based on a much smaller official capacity.
Political cases add pressure, but trial delays remain the core problem
Former prison official Maj. (retd.) Shamsul Haider Siddiqui said the high number of undertrial prisoners is one of the main reasons for the overcrowding.
He argued that accelerating trials would be more effective than simply constructing additional prisons.
Crime and social expert Dr Touhidul Haque similarly said Bangladesh should seek alternatives for less serious cases and reduce delays in the regular judicial system.
The challenge is therefore twofold: Bangladesh must ensure accountability for alleged crimes committed during and after the 2024 uprising while also ensuring that accused people receive timely and fair trials.
For the prison system, the immediate numbers are stark: 93,440 people in facilities designed for 45,286, including thousands of politically prominent detainees and tens of thousands of ordinary undertrial prisoners.
The figures underline the need for faster judicial proceedings, safeguards against arbitrary detention and substantial improvem
