72 incidents of child sexual abuse in madrasas in nine months, 109 students victimised: JMBF data

Parents send their children to madrasas hoping they will grow up in religious discipline and a safe environment, but sexual abuse and rape of boys there have taken an alarming form. According to the human rights organisation Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), in 72 such incidents in the country's madrasas in the first nine months of the year, at least 109 students were sexually abused.

Data collected by JMBF say that from January to September, at least 131 incidents of rape and attempted rape of boys were recorded across the country, with a total of 171 victims. Of them, 161 children were raped and 10 were victims of attempted rape. A large share of these incidents took place on madrasa premises.

The report said legal steps have been taken in these incidents, but because of a lack of guidance and weak protection, bringing the offenders to justice cannot be ensured.

The hanging body of 10-year-old student Abdullah, recovered last May from a madrasa in Banshree in the capital, was cited in the report as an example of this crisis. After Abdullah's mother filed a case over sexual abuse and abetment of suicide, a senior student of the madrasa was arrested, but no visible progress has been made in the trial proceedings, the report said.

According to legal experts, the complexity of collecting proper evidence in cases of abuse of boys is one of the reasons offenders get away. Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Ishrat Hasan said that after such an allegation is raised, there is no specific SOP or clear outline for completing a child's physical examination, collecting and preserving samples, and preparing forensic test results. As a result, flaws remain in presenting sensitive evidence such as medical and DNA tests in court, creating a major obstacle to ensuring exemplary punishment for the accused.

The report also said many incidents are suppressed for fear of social disgrace, because of which victimised children remain deprived of necessary treatment and mental rehabilitation.

Rights activists have demanded preventive steps rather than remaining limited to provisions for punishment to overcome this situation. Human rights activist Advocate Fawzia Karim said awareness about 'good touch' and 'bad touch' must be raised among children in every educational institution, including madrasas. She also stressed raising awareness among parents and teachers and arranging professional counselling in every institution, so that children can report their complaints without hesitation.

At the same time, experts have advised increasing internal accountability in every educational institution and strictly implementing child protection policies.