The High Court on Tuesday summoned the director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) for not complying with its directive over recruitment of 48 doctors to the vacant posts in the prisons of the country.

The court asked him to appear before it on January 24 for an explanation.

The HC bench of Justice KM Kamrul Quader and Justice Mohammad Ali passed the order following a writ petition filed by advocate JR Khan Robin.

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JR Khan Robin said, on June 23, 2019, the court issued a rue asking the authorities concerned to submit a list on the capacity of prisons, the number of prisoners and doctors and the vacancies of doctors in all prisons across the country.

The jail authorities reported to the court in November 2019 that there were only 10 doctors against 141 posts in 68 prisons. After seeing the report, the High Court ordered recruitment of doctors in the prisons.

On September 21, 2021, it was reported to the court that 112 doctors were appointed in 68 prisons in the country against a total of 141 vacant posts.

Then the HC ordered the speedy appointment of doctors in the remaining vacant posts. But health authorities did not take any initiative in this regard.

Following an appeal, the court upheld the previous order on November 15 last year and ordered the Inspector General of Prisons and the Secretary to the Security Services Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs to submit a report on it.

Later, the Inspector General of Prisons submitted a report on December 13.

According to the report, 68 prisons and a prison hospital in the country have a total number of 141 posts of doctors at various levels. It was reported that that 93 doctors were appointed against 141 posts.

Later, the court ordered the recruitment of doctors to the remaining 38 vacant posts by January 7.