'Fear is not in my dictionary', Bodybuilder Rumi defies death threats

Bodybuilder Shahjalal Rumi has vowed to continue his fight despite alleged death threats and pressure to withdraw a criminal case linked to the alleged sexual abuse of a seven-year-old child by a madrasa teacher in Tongi.

“Fear is not in my dictionary! Don’t dream of silencing me with threats. Remember, I am Bangladesh,” Rumi wrote in a Facebook post on Friday, October 23.

Earlier, Rumi released a nearly six-minute video statement addressing comments circulating on social media and alleging that he had been threatened with death and pressured to apologise publicly and withdraw the case.

“Since this morning, they have been continuously threatening my life. They want me to withdraw the case and go live on social media to apologise. Let me make this clear — that will not happen. I will see this through to the end,” he said.

“Not only me, but all of us — we are Bangladesh. We will see this through to the end.”

Rumi also defended his decision to slap the accused teacher, Moslem Ahmed, vice-principal of Qariul Quran International Madrasa in Auchpara, Tongi. He said his actions were directed at the individual’s alleged misconduct, not at religious scholars or teachers as a group.

“I did not insult a religious scholar or a teacher by slapping him. I slapped a man of allegedly immoral and predatory character,” Rumi said, adding that people in society should stand against such conduct.

He questioned why some people were defending the accused despite his claim that the teacher had admitted to inappropriate conduct involving the child and subsequently visited the child’s maternal grandparents’ home to apologise. These claims have not been independently verified.

Rumi also accused the madrasa’s principal of spreading false information and alleged that the institution’s reputation was being used to shield the accused.

Describing himself as someone raised in a devout Muslim family, Rumi said he respected genuine religious scholars but warned that the alleged actions of individuals should not undermine the standing of the wider religious community. He also criticised those who had allegedly abused him and his family on social media, saying that insulting others to defend an alleged offender could not be justified in the name of religion.

Rumi said he remained committed to pursuing the matter through the legal system.

“I have immense respect for the law. From now on, everything will proceed through legal channels,” he said, adding that he and others were working to ensure the accused was not granted bail.

Toward the end of his video, Rumi made an emotional appeal to the public, saying, “Please don’t let me be lost.”
Case and counter-allegations

The incident reportedly took place on October 21 at Qariul Quran International Madrasa in Auchpara, Tongi, where the institution’s vice-principal, Moslem Ahmed, was accused of sexually abusing a seven-year-old child.

According to the account provided, members of the child’s family went to the madrasa to question the teacher. They alleged that he admitted to the misconduct. Rumi then slapped him, reportedly out of anger over the allegations.

Bystanders subsequently assaulted the teacher, who was rescued by police and arrested after officers arrived at the scene.

The child’s family filed a case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act. Separately, the madrasa authorities filed a counter-complaint alleging vandalism and theft of money.

The allegations against the teacher, as well as the counter-allegations against those involved in the incident, remain subject to the legal process.