Madrasa Teacher Arrested Over Alleged Sexual Abuse of Student

Police in Chandina, Cumilla, have arrested a 32-year-old madrasa teacher following allegations of sexual abuse made by one of his male students. The suspect, Hafiz Monir Hossain, was taken into police custody from the Dollai Nawabpur Union Parishad office at around 8:30 pm on Tuesday, 18 August.

The alleged incident took place late on Monday night inside Nawabpur Markazun Noor Madrasa, situated in the Dollai Nawabpur bazaar area under Chandina upazila. The suspect, son of Alamgir Hossain from Rasulpur village in the neighbouring Maizkhar Union, served as a resident religious instructor at the institution.

According to the victim’s account, Teacher Monir Hossain summoned him to his private quarters late Monday night under the pretext of having his head and legs massaged. Once inside the room, the teacher allegedly subjected the young student to sexual abuse.

The following morning, the distressed student returned home and disclosed the ordeal to his family. Outraged by the disclosure, local residents confronted the instructor at the madrasa. During initial questioning by community members, Monir Hossain reportedly confessed to the act. Incensed by his admission, a crowd assaulted the teacher before forcibly taking him to the Dollai Nawabpur Union Parishad complex.

Events took a controversial turn on Tuesday evening when local village elders, led by Dollai Nawabpur Union Parishad Chairman Md Shahjahan Miah, convened an informal village tribunal (salish) inside the Union Parishad building in an attempt to mediate and settle the criminal matter privately between the two families.

Union Parishad Chairman Md Shahjahan Miah acknowledged the mediation attempt, stating that both parties had approached the council seeking a compromise, prompting community leaders to hold the session before law enforcement intervened.

The attempted out-of-court settlement was thwarted when local journalists alerted the police to the ongoing arbitration of a grave offence. Officers from Chandina Police Station responded immediately, arriving at the Union Parishad office to halt the proceedings and place the suspect under official arrest.

Chandina Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Nuruzzaman confirmed the arrest, stating that police acted swiftly upon receiving information from journalists regarding the unauthorized tribunal. The suspect was transported to the local police station for formal processing. Law enforcement officials confirmed that the victim’s family is preparing to file a formal criminal case against the teacher, paving the way for full judicial proceedings.