A madrasa teacher in Sylhet has been sent to jail after being arrested in a case involving allegations of sexual abuse and an attempted rape of a 12-year-old student.
The accused has been identified as Motiur Rahman, an Arabic teacher at a madrasa in the Kazir Bazar area of Sylhet city. Police said he was detained at the madrasa on Wednesday night and taken to Kotwali Police Station.
Khan Mohammad Mainul Zaker, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station, said the child’s mother filed a case against the teacher. Police formally showed Rahman as arrested in the case on Thursday morning before producing him before a court. The judge subsequently ordered that he be sent to jail.
According to the child’s account, Rahman had called the 12-year-old and another student into a room and asked them to massage his head and feet. The two students complied. At one stage, the other student left the room, after which the teacher allegedly closed the door and asked the child to continue massaging his head.
The child alleged that Rahman then sexually abused him and subsequently assaulted him physically. The student also claimed that the teacher had behaved similarly towards another student in the past, although that student is no longer at the madrasa.
The child has called for justice over the alleged incident.
The child’s mother said she wanted legal action to ensure that no other child would be subjected to similar abuse. She also called for the harshest punishment for the accused, expressing her distress over what had allegedly happened to her child.
The allegations have now entered the judicial process. Police will investigate the complaint and assess the evidence and circumstances surrounding the incident as part of the case.
Cases involving alleged abuse of children in educational settings can raise particular concerns because teachers and other staff often hold positions of authority and trust over students. Ensuring that children have safe channels for reporting allegations and that complaints are dealt with through proper legal procedures is therefore an important part of safeguarding.
However, the allegations against Rahman have yet to be established through the judicial process. His arrest and detention do not by themselves constitute a finding of guilt. The court proceedings and investigation will determine the facts of the case.
Rahman remains in custody following the court’s order.
