Schoolgirl Attempts Suicide After Alleged Public Torture at School

A 13-year-old schoolgirl in Gopalganj’s Kashiani upazila reportedly attempted suicide by consuming poison after a video allegedly showing her being tied to a tree and subjected to physical and psychological abuse was circulated on social media.

The incident reportedly took place on 28 July at a higher secondary school in the upazila, while the video emerged on Facebook three days later, on Friday night. The footage has since triggered anger among students, parents and local residents, with questions being raised over how such an incident could take place within a school compound and whether the authorities responded appropriately.

According to the video and accounts from local residents, the girl, an eighth-grade student at the school, and a young man were brought to the school premises after some people allegedly claimed to have found them in an objectionable situation the previous day. The girl was reportedly brought from outside the school, while the young man was taken from his home.

The pair were then allegedly tied together to a deodar tree on the school grounds with a towel. They were reportedly subjected to physical and verbal abuse in front of teachers, students and local people. Several people present at the scene allegedly recorded the incident on their mobile phones, and footage later spread across social media.

The incident has raised serious concerns about the treatment of minors, the protection of students and the responsibility of educational institutions to ensure a safe environment. Publicly humiliating or physically abusing anyone, particularly a school-aged child, can have severe psychological consequences. The subsequent circulation of such footage can deepen the trauma by exposing the victim to further humiliation and social pressure.

Local residents alleged that the girl attempted to take her own life after the video was circulated and she experienced intense humiliation and mental distress. Her family reportedly took her to a local sub-health centre for treatment. As her condition deteriorated, doctors referred her to Gopalganj 250-bed General Hospital, where she is currently receiving medical care.

Several individuals, including Nayan Barai, Joy Shikdar and Mission Roy, have been accused by local people of involvement in the incident. However, the allegations have not yet been established through an official investigation.

Nayan Barai denied involvement in the alleged torture. He said that after the girl and the young man were reportedly found in an objectionable situation, several youths were taking them through his property. He claimed that he took them to the school and handed them over to their guardians, adding that he was unaware of any incident in which they were tied to a tree and abused.

The school’s head teacher, Indrajit Sarker, said he was not present at the institution on the day of the incident and had learned about it afterwards. He said the chairman of the school’s managing committee was also in Dhaka at the time. According to him, the matter would be discussed with the committee chairman after his return before deciding what action should be taken.

The delay in any visible institutional response has also drawn criticism from local residents. They alleged that several days passed before the incident became widely known, despite the alleged abuse taking place publicly on school premises.

Kashiani police station officer-in-charge Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman said no formal complaint had yet been received in connection with the incident. He said that if a complaint was filed, the police would investigate the allegations and take legal action in accordance with the law.

The case has brought renewed attention to the need for responsible intervention when allegations involving minors arise. Any dispute or allegation concerning a student should be handled through lawful and appropriate procedures rather than public humiliation, physical punishment or vigilantism. The circulation of videos depicting alleged abuse also raises concerns about the lasting impact of digital exposure on victims and their families.