Child Found Dead In Dhaka Madrasa Washroom As Family Alleges Assault

Police have recovered the body of a 12-year-old student from the washroom of a madrasa in the Rayerbagh Jorakhamba area of Dhaka, with the child’s family alleging that severe physical punishment led to his death.

The deceased has been identified as Mohammad Nayeem Sheikh, a student in the Hifz section of Rowzatul Ulum Hafizia Madrasa. Officers retrieved his body from a third-floor washroom on Monday afternoon, 3 August.

Sub-Inspector Saddam Hossain of Kadamtali Police Station confirmed that police responded to an emergency call around 2:00 pm and discovered the boy’s body laid out on the floor of the washroom. Preliminary examinations revealed multiple bruised cane marks across his body.

Madrasa authorities claimed the student committed suicide by hanging himself from the washroom shower fixture. However, police expressed caution regarding this assertion given the visible signs of physical trauma. Sub-Inspector Hossain stated that the body has been transferred for a post-mortem examination to ascertain the precise cause of death, adding that official action will follow the forensic findings.

Heartbreaking scenes unfolded outside the hospital emergency unit as the boy’s mother, Nazma Begum, and other relatives gathered around his body. Pointing to severe bruising below his knees and across his limbs, Begum rejected the suicide claim outright and demanded justice for what she termed a fatal assault. She argued that a death by hanging would not account for extensive physical injuries across multiple parts of his body.

The victim’s uncle, Suman, told reporters that madrasa teachers had severely beaten the boy with a cane on Sunday. He alleged that the child took his own life after being unable to bear the intense physical pain and distress from the assault.

Nayeem was the elder of two brothers. His father, Babu Sheikh, works as a rickshaw puller to support the family. Kadamtali police have initiated questioning of madrasa staff and management as part of their preliminary inquiry into the incident.