Nearly four decades have passed since the construction of Mohammadpur sub-jail in Magura district, yet the facility has never housed a single inmate.
Built with the vision of decentralising judicial and correctional services, the complex today stands as a silent monument to bureaucratic inertia and policy neglect, officials said.
Located in Bauijani village under Mohammadpur upazila, the sub-jail was constructed in 1985 during the regime of military ruler Hussain Muhammad Ershad.
It was part of a wider plan to establish courts and detention facilities at upazila level, aimed at easing the burden on district jails and expediting the judicial process.
The project, however, was abruptly shelved following a change in government, and the sub-jail was never inaugurated. Its gates have remained locked ever since before it could even begin operation, according to the officials.
Spread over 2.71 acres of land, the complex was designed to accommodate 20 male and five female inmates.
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The site includes separate cells for men and women, an administrative office, a kitchen, guard quarters, a pump house, and residential quarters for officers. But time and neglect have taken their toll.
A recent visit revealed a picture of decay: walls with peeling plaster, corroded ironwork, and doors and windows missing from their frames. What was once envisioned as a secure correctional facility now stands in ruins, overrun by weeds and disrepair.
Prashanta Kumar, an employee of the Upazila Social Services Office, lives in one of the officer quarters with his family and has been informally maintaining the abandoned premises.
“Despite the risks, I stay here and try to take care of the property,” he said, pointing to the crumbling buildings around him.
Locals have long voiced frustration over the wasted infrastructure, calling it an example of mismanagement and poor utilisation of public resources. Many urge the government to either revive the sub-jail or repurpose it for public welfare.
Upazila Social Services Officer Md Abdur Rob confirmed that the site now falls under the jurisdiction of his department but lamented the lack of funds and manpower needed for renovation.
“With proper support, it could be turned into a training or rehabilitation centre for the poor, orphans, and persons with disabilities,” he suggested.
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District Social Services Officer Md Zakir Hossain echoed the idea, saying a proposal has already been made to convert the premises into an integrated child rehabilitation centre.
According to the Department of Social Services, the Mohammadpur sub-jail is not an isolated case. There are 23 such sub-jails across Bangladesh—none of which are functional. All remain caught in the limbo of policy stagnation, their walls quietly crumbling as years go by.
Once envisioned as a cornerstone of local justice and correctional efficiency, the Mohammadpur sub-jail now serves as a reminder of unfulfilled promises and the high cost of administrative neglect.