A 12-year-old madrasa student was found dead inside a bathroom at an Islamic educational institution in Dhaka’s Rayerbagh area, prompting a police investigation amid conflicting claims over the circumstances of his death.
The deceased has been identified as Mohammad Naim Sheikh. His family members have alleged that the boy was beaten with a cane before his death, while the madrasa authorities reportedly told police that he had died by suicide after hanging himself from a shower fixture.
Police recovered Naim’s body from a bathroom on the third floor of Rowzatul Ulum Hafizia Madrasa in the Jorakhamba area of Rayerbagh at around 2pm on Monday (3 August).
Saddam Hossain, a sub-inspector at Kadamtali Police Station, confirmed the recovery. He said officers found the child’s body lying inside the washroom after receiving information about the incident. Preliminary examination indicated marks consistent with cane injuries on his body, he said.
According to the police officer, madrasa representatives claimed that Naim had hanged himself from the shower in the bathroom. However, the presence of apparent injury marks has raised questions that investigators are now seeking to clarify.
The body was subsequently taken for a post-mortem examination. Police said the medical examination would be essential in determining the exact cause of death and establishing whether the injuries had any connection with the fatal incident.
The incident has caused deep distress among the boy’s family members. His mother, Nazma Begum, and other relatives gathered around his body at the hospital, where they were seen grieving. One relative alleged that the child had been beaten by teachers at the madrasa.
Nazma Begum rejected the suggestion that her son had taken his own life. Pointing to injury marks below his knees, she alleged that the condition of the body raised serious questions about the account of a suicide. She called for a proper investigation and demanded justice for her son.
Naim’s maternal uncle, Sumon, also alleged that the boy had been studying the Quran by memorisation at the madrasa and had been beaten with a cane by teachers the previous day. He suggested that the alleged beating may have played a role in the events that followed. The allegations, however, have not yet been independently established.
Police are now expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the boy’s death, including the injuries found on his body and the account provided by the madrasa authorities. Investigators will also rely on the post-mortem findings to determine whether the death was caused by hanging, physical assault or another factor.
The case has drawn attention to concerns surrounding the treatment and safety of children in residential and religious educational institutions. Any allegation of physical punishment involving a child requires careful investigation, particularly when the circumstances of a death remain disputed.
Naim was the elder of two brothers. His father, Babu Sheikh, works as a rickshaw puller. The family is now awaiting the post-mortem report, which police say will help determine the next course of legal action.
