'I Went to Seek Justice for My Daughter, Not to Create a Mob': Father Rumi's Press Conference over Tongi Child Abuse Allegation

The father of a six-year-old girl has now spoken publicly over allegations of sexual abuse at a residential madrasa in the Auchpara area of Tongi, Gazipur, and the subsequent beating of the accused teacher. Facing the media at around 3am on Saturday night, the child's father, Shahjalal Rumi, denied the counter-allegations brought by the institution's authorities and sought the cooperation of the countrymen in demanding proper justice for the abuse of his daughter.

Rumi directly rejected the allegation of creating disorder at the madrasa or storming in with a crowd. His position is that he did not go to create a mob; as a father, he went to the madrasa to seek justice for what happened to his child. He also denied the institution authorities' claim that he went to grab a flat, countering with a question — if he had gone to create a mob, why did the more than two hundred people present there not attack him?

On the vandalism allegation, Rumi admitted that a small glass had broken and said he would pay compensation for it. But he claimed the glass had broken before the teacher arrived and that a video record of that moment exists; he did not intend to break anything deliberately.

He demanded that the allegation of stealing 17 lakh taka from the madrasa, raised against him, be verified through CCTV footage. Rumi's position is that the institution has CCTV cameras — the footage should be examined to prove where he took 17 lakh taka. He also remarked that how so much money is kept at a madrasa needs to be clarified, and demanded a fair investigation of all the allegations raised against him.

Rumi also clarified his stance towards religious institutions. He said he is not against the madrasa, nor against teachers; he had sent his daughter there precisely for religious education. But where his child would not be safe, if such an incident happens there, what is a father to do — that was his question. In his words, he is not speaking against Islam or genuine scholars; he is speaking against those who use a religious identity to commit crimes and try to hide the truth.

He also described the mental anguish his family has gone through since the incident. Rumi said he has not been able to sleep properly for a single night since; only Allah knows how his days are passing. He commented that had anyone else been in his place, the situation could have been worse — after hearing of such an incident involving his child, it had become difficult for him to control himself.

Rumi also brought a negligence allegation against the institution's top official. He claimed he had informed the principal about the incident three days earlier, but the principal repeatedly said he knew nothing. He waited for a long time outside the principal's room; when he later tried to speak, the behaviour was such that the principal seemed unwilling to meet him at all. He has asked why no action was taken even after the complaint was lodged.

The incident has now produced claims and counter-claims from two sides — on one side the original allegation of child abuse, on the other counter-allegations of mob action, vandalism and theft of money. In his press conference Rumi repeatedly called for a fair investigation and demanded that the CCTV footage be produced as neutral evidence.

After this public statement by the child's father, attention now turns to the investigating authorities — how the investigation of the main abuse allegation proceeds, and how the truth of the counter-allegations is verified through footage and inquiry, remains to be seen. Seeking the countrymen's cooperation, Rumi said he wants only justice for his daughter.