Madrasa Teacher and Director Arrested in Gazipur Over Abuse of Child Student, Third Accused Still Absconding

Police have arrested a teacher of a Qawmi madrasa in Gazipur over allegations of repeatedly sexually abusing and raping a Class Three student, aged eight. The madrasa's director has also been arrested on allegations of trying to cover up the incident. Three people were accused in the case filed by the child's family, of whom two have been arrested.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Gacha Police Station Golam Rabbani confirmed the arrests.

According to the case statement, the incident took place at Darul Hedaya Qawmi Madrasa in the Kalmeshwar (Dengur Ali Road) area under Gacha Police Station in Gazipur city. The accused are Oliullah Islam (23) of Baidya Dhaldor (Bagbati) in Sirajganj Sadar upazila, Mohammad Mizan (38) of Sharifpur under Gacha, and Abdul Quddus Sheikh (45) of the same area.

Oliullah Islam is a teacher of the madrasa and the prime accused in the case. Mohammad Mizan is the madrasa's director. Mizan and Quddus Sheikh face allegations of attempting to cover up the incident.

Oliullah was arrested from outside Dhaka and Mizan from near Dhaka. On Friday (23 October), both were sent to jail through the court.

The family stated in the case that the boy studied while staying at the madrasa's residential boarding. He was left at the boarding on the afternoon of 7 October. On 13 October, when the child came home for lunch, he spoke of physical pain while bathing.

When asked why, he told his family that between 10 and 12 October, teacher Oliullah Islam intimidated him, took him to the madrasa storeroom at night and sexually abused and raped him multiple times. The child was also threatened with beating if he told his mother, according to the case statement.

The statement alleges that after learning of the incident, the child's mother went to the madrasa and informed director Mohammad Mizan. But he made excuses and, without holding any arbitration or taking legal action against the accused teacher, deliberately tried to hush up the matter. At one stage the accused was tactfully removed from the madrasa.

When Abdul Quddus Sheikh was later informed, he too tried to cover up the incident and intimidated the child's guardian, the case statement alleges.

It further says that after the child's case became known, another student (10) of the same madrasa also accused the prime accused of raping him multiple times. This second allegation has added to the gravity of the incident.

OC Golam Rabbani said a case had been filed against three people under the relevant law over the rape of the child student. The two arrested men were sent to jail through the court, and a police operation is under way to arrest the absconding Abdul Quddus Sheikh.

Police said the full picture would come before the court once the absconding accused is arrested and the investigation completed. The victim child is with his family.