Prisons Directorate has issued an official statement addressing the escape of Muntasir Al Jamie, a convict sentenced to death for the murder of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) student Abrar Fahad.
On Monday (24 February), Abrar’s younger brother, Abrar Faiyaz, posted on Facebook about Jamie’s escape, prompting widespread concern.
Later that night, the Prisons Directorate released a statement signed by Assistant Inspector General of Prisons (Development) Md Jannat-ul-Farhad, providing details on the incident.
According to the statement, authorities became aware of reports regarding the escape of a death row prisoner from custody on Monday. The convict in question, inmate number 5177/A, Muntasir Al Jamie, 26, hails from Kalayan village in Kendua upazila of Netrokona.
On 6 August, Jamie, along with 87 other death row inmates and 202 prisoners in total, fled by breaking through the walls of the high-security central prison in Gazipur.
Following the mass escape, a case was filed at Konabari police station on 15 August, and all relevant law enforcement agencies were alerted.
The statement further noted that, through coordinated efforts, 51 of the escapees—including 35 death row inmates—have since been recaptured and returned to custody.
Efforts to locate and apprehend the remaining fugitives, including Jamie, are ongoing.
Meanwhile, BUET’s campus witnessed a surge of student protests following the revelation of Jamie’s escape.
Outraged students staged demonstrations late into the night, demanding his immediate recapture and execution.
At approximately 11:30pm on Monday (24 February), BUET students organised a protest march from the campus Shaheed Minar, which proceeded through Palashi Mor and the Vice-Chancellor’s square before converging at the base of the Raju Memorial Sculpture at Dhaka University.
There, they held a press conference condemning the government’s handling of the situation.
During the protests, students chanted slogans such as: “Hang all the murderers!”, “We demand justice for Abrar!”, and “Why is my brother in his grave while his killer roams free?” Some also invoked July 2024’s mass uprising, chanting “July’s weapon must roar again” and “Struggle, not compromise”.
Addressing the press conference, Abrar Faiyaz lambasted the authorities, stating: “Today, during a hearing at the High Court, we learned that my brother’s murderer, Jamie, has escaped. The state is responsible for this. The government knew about it but deliberately concealed the truth. We are being told he fled after 5 August, but we have yet to receive a clear answer. This is a disgrace to the nation.”
Faiyaz further warned that no excuses would be tolerated, demanding a transparent explanation from both the government and the prison authorities.
He insisted on Jamie’s immediate recapture and called for all those involved in the escape to be held accountable under the law.
