Dhaka, July 1 -- The government has decided to release 56 inmates serving life sentences who have completed over 20 years in prison, including remission, under its clemency powers.

The release has been approved under Rule 569 of the Jail Code, commonly known as the 'Twenty Years Rule', and Section 401(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPc), said Zannat-Ul-Forhad, Assistant Inspector General (Prison, Media) at the Prison Headquarters.

"We received the formal letter from the Home Ministry yesterday (Monday)," the AIG said.

Several inmates were released today (Tuesday), and others will be freed in phases from different prisons across the country on completion of necessary document verification, he added.

Ex-CEC Habibul Awal sent to ...