Terrified by the threat, the child stopped attending the madrasah for three consecutive days.
TBS Report
23 October, 2026, 09:00 am
Last modified: 23 October, 2026, 09:11 am
Police have arrested the vice-principal of a madrasah in Gazipur's Tongi over allegations of sexually abusing a seven-year-old first-grade student, triggering public outrage.
The accused, identified as Musleuddin, worked as vice-principal of Qariul Quran International Madrasah in Madhya Auchpara, Tongi.
According to police and the victim's family, the incident took place inside the madrasah on Monday (19 October). After allegedly sexually abusing the child and behaving inappropriately with her, the accused threatened to beat her if she told anyone about the incident.
Terrified by the threat, the child stopped attending the madrasah for three consecutive days.
When family members questioned her, she told her parents about the alleged abuse.
After learning the details, her father went to the madrasah on Wednesday (21 October) to confront the vice-principal.
As news of the incident spread among locals, anger mounted. An agitated crowd gathered on the madrasah premises, surrounded the accused and beat him.
Police from Tongi West Police Station rushed to the scene, rescued the accused from the crowd and took him into custody.
The victim's family claimed that the accused admitted to the offence and apologised during questioning.
Tongi West Police Station Officer-in-Charge Arif Hossain said the accused was rescued from the crowd and detained.
A preliminary investigation found evidence supporting the allegations, and the child's father has filed a case, he added.
A court sent the accused to jail after he was produced before it yesterday.
Meanwhile, counter-allegations have emerged over the incident. Madrasah founder and principal Barijul Alamgir Hossain claimed that a group of 15 people, led by a guardian, entered the institution and carried out an attack, vandalised property, assaulted teachers and allegedly sexually harassed them.
He also alleged that the group looted around Tk17 lakh.
However, police have not confirmed the looting allegation, which has not been independently verified.
After video footage of the incident spread on social media, the victim's family alleged that some parties were circulating it to portray the incident as a "criminal attack on the madrasah" and divert attention from the alleged abuse.