Madrasa teacher accused of sexual abuse of minor; Bail denied

A court in Gazipur has denied the bail plea of Moslem Uddin, the vice-principal of a madrasa, who was arrested on charges of sexually abusing a seven-year-old child in Tongi. 

The bail application was rejected by the court of the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in Gazipur following a hearing on Sunday (October 25), meaning he will remain in custody. Ahsanullah Chowdhury, an inspector at the Gazipur Metropolitan Court, confirmed the development on Sunday afternoon.

According to the case details, Moslem Uddin, the vice-principal of the Qari-ul-Quran International Madrasa in the Madhya Auchpara area of Tongi, was accused of sexually abusing a first-grade student at the institution. The child’s father filed a case under the Prevention of Oppression Against Women and Children Act. Following his arrest, the accused was produced before the court on Thursday, at which time the child’s statement was also recorded.

Police Inspector Md. Ahsan Ullah Chowdhury stated that evidence, including CCTV footage, has been collected from the madrasa as part of the investigation. A preliminary basis for the allegations has been established through an inspection of the scene and statements from relevant individuals; however, the investigation remains ongoing.

Prior to this, on Wednesday, the child’s father went to the madrasa seeking an explanation regarding the incident involving his daughter, where at one point, the father assaulted the accused teacher. Upon receiving information, the police intervened, rescued the teacher, and took him into custody. A video of the incident subsequently circulated on social media, sparking widespread discussion and criticism.

Meanwhile, the madrasa authorities have alleged that an attack and acts of vandalism took place, during which teachers were assaulted and 1.7 million (17 lakh) taka in cash, along with five mobile phones, were stolen. A separate case has been filed against the child’s father and several individuals who accompanied him, based on these allegations.

The child’s father, however, has denied these claims. He maintains that he went to the madrasa solely to seek justice for the alleged abuse of his daughter and had no intention of carrying out an attack or theft. He has called for an impartial investigation into all the allegations, as well as a fair trial regarding the abuse of his daughter, while also requesting protection for himself and his family. 

The Tongi West police have stated that investigations are underway into two separate cases—one concerning allegations of child abuse, and the other regarding an attack and acts of vandalism at a madrasa. Reports will be submitted to the court once the investigations are concluded.

- RS/NS