A school headteacher sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape of a secondary-school student in Gurudaspur, Natore, has allegedly issued threatening remarks after securing bail on appeal.
Mohammad Firozul Islam Firoz, 48, was released from Rajshahi Central Jail on Tuesday night following a court order granting him bail. After his release, he attended a gathering in Nazirpur, where he spoke before local supporters and made remarks suggesting that those he considers his opponents would face a reckoning.
In his speech, Firoz questioned the circumstances surrounding his conviction and said that if four witnesses could lead to a life sentence against him, thousands of people in the area could also testify about alleged actions by his opponents. He went on to say that their “trial” had begun and that justice would be pursued on the soil of Nazirpur.
He did not specify whom he was referring to in the remarks. However, the father of the student, who is the complainant in the case, has alleged that he has already been threatened following Firoz’s release.
The complainant said he had been threatened with death and was deeply concerned about the safety of his family. He said he had informed the police about the matter.
Firoz is the headteacher of Nazirpur Moriam Memorial Girls’ High School in Gurudaspur. He is the son of Golam Mostafa of Daulatpur village in Nazirpur and previously served as a senior vice-president of the Gurudaspur upazila unit of the BNP.
Court sentenced him to two terms
According to the case records, the student was 15 and preparing for her Secondary School Certificate examination when the incident occurred.
On 1 October 2022, she went to the school to sit for a practical examination. The case records state that she was forcibly taken away in a microbus from in front of the school. She was subsequently taken to a residential hotel in Rajshahi, where she was raped, according to the prosecution case.
The student’s father later filed a case with Gurudaspur Police Station against Firoz and his two brothers. On 11 October that year, Firoz was arrested from a residential hotel in Taktitala in Kaliakair, Gazipur, at around 12.15am.
The case was subsequently heard by a speedy trial tribunal in Rajshahi. Prosecutor Munshi Abul Kalam Azad said the court considered the police investigation report, witness testimony and video evidence presented during the proceedings.
On 11 November 2025, Judge Malhiduzzaman Muhit of the Rajshahi Speedy Trial Tribunal sentenced Firoz to life imprisonment under the provision relating to rape and a further 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment under a separate provision relating to abduction.
The other two accused in the case were acquitted.
The victim’s family had expressed satisfaction with the tribunal’s verdict. The complainant’s father, however, said that Firoz had been attempting to pressure the family to reach a settlement at different stages of the case.
He alleged that threats and offers of money had been made during the three years from the filing of the case to the verdict. Despite those difficulties, he said, the family continued with the proceedings because of concerns about his daughter’s dignity and safety.
The father also said that Firoz had spent around 11 months in prison before obtaining bail through the appeal process. His release and subsequent public remarks have now heightened the family’s concerns.
Supporters gathered after release
Police and local sources said more than 200 vehicles travelled to the main gate of Rajshahi Central Jail on Tuesday to receive Firoz after his release. Supporters reportedly welcomed him with floral garlands before accompanying him towards Nazirpur.
Later that night, a gathering attended by several hundred people was held in the Nazirpur area. Firoz addressed the crowd and spoke about the case, the court verdict and those he described as his opponents.
A video of the speech subsequently circulated on social media, prompting criticism and concern among local residents.
The remarks have added a new dimension to a case that has already resulted in a serious criminal conviction and an appeal-related release on bail. The allegations made by the complainant regarding threats are separate from the question of the conviction itself and will require assessment by the relevant authorities.
Police say action will follow a complaint
Gurudaspur Police Station officer-in-charge Abdul Hannan said that if the complainant had been unlawfully threatened, legal action would be taken on the basis of a formal complaint and the available evidence.
The complainant’s family has said it is now living under heightened security concerns. Police involvement is expected to focus on determining whether any threats were made and whether they amount to a criminal offence.
Meanwhile, Firoz remains entitled to pursue the legal remedies available to him through the appeal process. The lower court’s conviction and the subsequent grant of bail are separate stages of the judicial proceedings, while the allegations surrounding his post-release remarks may be examined independently by law enforcement authorities.
