A residential madrassa teacher in the Comilla district has been remanded in judicial custody following allegations that he sexually assaulted a fifteen-year-old student. The incident has sent shockwaves through the local community, renewing urgent discussions surrounding child safeguarding measures within traditional boarding institutions.
According to local police reports from the Daudkandi Model Police Station, the accused has been identified as Manjul Hasan, a native of the neighbouring Chandpur Sadar upazila. Investigators stated that the alleged assault took place during the early hours of 15 July inside the residential quarters of the institution, where both the teacher and the victim occupied adjacent rooms.
Preliminary findings indicate that the accused lured the teenager into his private room around 2:30 AM by claiming he had fallen suddenly ill. Once the student entered, the teacher allegedly carried out the assault before subjecting him to severe intimidation, threatening physical harm if the boy dared to speak out about the ordeal.
For days, the victim endured intense psychological distress, trapped by fear and social stigma. Police noted that the teacher continued to harass the boy and sought further opportunities to abuse him. Overwhelmed by the trauma and relentless intimidation, the teenager attempted to take his own life on Thursday afternoon inside a madrassa room.
Alarmed by the desperate act, the administration contacted the student’s family. Upon their arrival, the distraught boy broke down and disclosed the harrowing details of the abuse to his parents.
The victim’s mother recounted the harrowing experience, expressing profound anguish over the safety of children in educational settings. She explained that her son had kept silent out of terror and shame, but the escalating pressure and repeated threats drove him to desperation. She questioned how parents can entrust their children’s futures to educators who betray their positions of trust in such a manner.
Following the disclosure, the victim’s father went directly to the Daudkandi Model Police Station late Thursday night and lodged a formal complaint. Acting swiftly on the case, law enforcement officers apprehended the accused teacher on Friday morning.
Inspector (Investigation) Md Shamsul Alam of the local police station confirmed that a formal criminal case was registered following the father’s complaint. The accused was subsequently produced before a local court, which ordered him to be sent to prison pending further legal proceedings and a comprehensive judicial inquiry. Child rights advocates in the region have since called for stricter regulatory oversight and mandatory safeguarding protocols across all residential religious institutions to prevent similar tragedies.
What steps do you think local authorities should take to better protect students in residential educational institutions?
