Police in Mirzapur, Tangail, have arrested a 45-year-old private tutor on charges of raping a nine-year-old primary school student inside his commercial shop. The suspect, identified as Sabuj Mia, was taken into custody on Wednesday (11 November) night from Maishamura village under Warshi union. Sabuj, son of Gazi Mia from Putiajani village in neighbouring Delduar upazila, operated a photocopy and stationery business at Maishamura market, where he also provided private coaching to local primary school children.
According to police and local sources, the victim went to Sabuj’s shop for private tuition following the conclusion of her school classes on Wednesday afternoon. Alarm grew when the child failed to return home long after her scheduled lesson had ended, prompting her mother to search the area. Upon arriving at the shop, the mother discovered the entrance shutter pulled down. Opening the shutter, she found her daughter stripped of her clothing inside the premises. The traumatised child immediately ran to her mother in tears, disclosing that her tutor had threatened her, touched her inappropriately, and sexually assaulted her.
Hearing the child’s account, her mother raised an alarm, drawing nearby residents to the scene. An enraged crowd detained Sabuj at the shop and assaulted him before alerting law enforcement authorities. Officers from Mirzapur Police Station responded swiftly, securing the suspect from the mob and placing him under formal arrest. News of the incident spread rapidly, triggering intense indignation throughout the local community.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Mirzapur Police Station, Abdullah Al Mamun, confirmed the arrest and stated that Sabuj admitted to the assault during initial questioning. Law enforcement officers are finalising charges against the suspect under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act.
The incident comes amidst heightened sensitivity surrounding child safety in the area. Just days earlier, on 9 November, residents in the same union detained and handed over another educator, Tapan Kumar Sarkar of Naton Kahela Government Primary School, over sexual harassment allegations. Although Tangail District Primary Education Officer Md Shahin Mia temporarily suspended Tapan, police subsequently released him into the custody of Upazila Primary Education Officer Ansar Ali when no formal complainant stepped forward. The occurrence of two separate abuse allegations involving teachers within forty-eight hours has sparked deep public outrage and concern across the union.
