Online Desk  :   At least 40 prisoners fled from the Kushtia District Jail on Wednesday noon. Kushtia District Commissioner Ehtasham Reza said that several inmates have escaped. The army has taken control of the prison now. To control the situation, army troops fired blank shots, but could not recapture any of the inmates. No casualty, however, was reported during the incident, the jail authorities said.

Witnesses said that inmates were seen leaving the jail after 2PM on motorcycles via PTI Road in the town covering their face with towels, handkerchiefs. Some of them wore jail clothes, others wore casual. Upon hearing this news, locals gathered in the jail area. Later, army personnel arrived at the scene and dispersed the curious crowd. Sources in the jail said that some of the inmates were due to be released on bail on Wednesday. When the jail authorities were taking out the bailed prisoners by roll-call, 30-40 other inmates took the opportunity to escape. Meanwhile, Ehtesham Reza, Kushtia deputy commissioner (DC) and also head of the inspection team, said that all measures will be taken to check whether there were any negligence.