The legal institutions of Bangladesh have their foundations in the English colonial era, although they have changed their institutions over the years to fit their cultures and needs. Corrections is administratively centralized at the national level. Most of the jails were constructed during the English colonial period. The jails combine the functions of jail and prison. The 76 jails vary greatly in size and other characteristics. The country has no separate jails for women or juveniles. Jails are characterized by poor physical conditions, which may represent a danger to the staff and community. Most lack sufficient personnel to maintain adequate supervision. Jail litigation is virtually nonexistent. The jail populations in the samples from Bangladesh and the United States are similar. Jail crowding is much greater in Bangladesh. The United States jails spend an average of 38 times as much as the Bangladesh jails. The jails in the United States process more individuals, but the ratio of admissions to releases in Bangladesh is higher than in the United States. The analysis suggests that the relatively large jails in the United States are functionally similar to those in Bangladesh and that Bangladesh jails may benefit greatly from a program of intermediate sanctions. Notes and 6 references