The incident took place in the Birulia area of Savar between 7pm and 8.45pm on Wednesday, 21 October. Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain, an inspector (investigation) at Savar Model Police Station, confirmed the incident.
Police identified the accused teacher as Abdul Bari, 50, who teaches at the madrasa. He has been accused of raping a student on multiple occasions. The allegations have not been independently verified, and further details about the investigation were not immediately available.
According to an eyewitness, the student informed her guardians about the alleged abuse on Wednesday. News of the allegation subsequently spread through the local community, prompting anger among residents. A group of people then allegedly attacked and vandalised the madrasa and the teacher’s residence.
The madrasa and the teacher’s home are located in the same five-storey building. The eyewitness claimed that valuable belongings were looted during the incident. However, the nature and value of the items allegedly taken have not been established.
A team from the Birulia police outpost arrived at the madrasa after receiving information about the unrest. The accused teacher was not at home at the time, but his wife and son were present, the eyewitness said.
Police were preparing to move the teacher’s family members to the police station for their safety when fresh vandalism began inside the building. The situation reportedly escalated to the point that police personnel and other people present at the scene became trapped inside.
The eyewitness said they, too, were unable to leave the building for a time while the police were inside. Additional teams from Savar Model Police Station and the Detective Branch (DB) were subsequently sent to the area to assist in managing the situation.
Inspector Mosharraf Hossain said the accused teacher’s wife and son were eventually moved to safety. However, local residents reportedly became agitated again after the two were taken to the police station.
Several police teams remained deployed at the scene to prevent further violence and restore order. No further details were immediately available regarding arrests, the extent of the damage or the alleged looting.
The case has raised serious concerns about the alleged abuse of a student and the violent reaction that followed the disclosure. The allegations against the teacher require a proper investigation, while any suspected offences involving vandalism or looting must also be addressed through lawful procedures.
Protecting the student’s privacy and safety will be essential as the case proceeds. In allegations involving sexual violence, a sensitive approach is particularly important to prevent further distress to the person concerned and to ensure that the investigation can establish the facts without interference.
At the time of reporting, there was no confirmed information about whether the accused teacher had been detained or whether formal legal proceedings had begun.
