Father demands justice over daughter’s harassment at Tongi madrasa
Photo: Agamir Somoy
A man held a press conference regarding allegations of sexual harassment against his daughter at a madrasa in Tongi, Gazipur on Friday night.
During the press conference, he labeled the madrasa authority’s allegations regarding vandalism and the looting of Tk 17,00,000 as false. He demanded a proper investigation and justice for the ordeal his daughter suffered. The man is named Shajalal Rumi.
During the press conference, Rumi said he visited the madrasa to demand justice for his daughter’s abuse, not to incite any mob. He demanded an explanation as to why he faced a physical beating when nearly 200 people were present at the scene.
Addressing the vandalism allegations at the madrasa, he acknowledged that someone broke a glass tumbler and affirmed his readiness to pay compensation. However, he claimed that the glass shattered before any teacher arrived and had video recordings of the event.
Dismissing the allegation of stealing Tk 17,00,000 from the madrasa as baseless, he urged authorities to review CCTV footage. He also questioned how such a large amount of cash remained stored inside the madrasa.
Rumi alleged that he verbally notified the principal of the madrasa about the matter three days prior to the incident. However, according to his statement, the principal took no effective measures and instead attempted to brush the issue aside.
Accusing the suspect of intimidating the child, he said following the abuse, the accused went to their house and threatened his daughter against revealing anything. As a result, fear initially prevented the child from disclosing the incident.
Commenting on the lawsuit filed against him, Rumi added that he respects the law and will accept punishment if legally proven guilty. However, he emphasized that authorities must also guarantee an impartial investigation and justice regarding his daughter’s case.
During the press conference, he clarified that he holds no opposition toward any religious institution or the Islamic scholar community. Rather, he is speaking out against individuals who commit crimes under a religious identity and attempt to conceal those crimes.
On Friday afternoon, the madrasa authorities held their own press conference regarding the same incident, claiming their innocence while demanding the arrest of the student’s father.
According to the child’s family, after learning about the incident from his daughter, her father went to Qariul Quran International Madrasa on Wednesday afternoon to demand an explanation from the accused Vice Principal Musleh Uddin. As news spread, locals gathered at the location and eventually beat the teacher.
Upon receiving reports, officers from Tongi West Police Station arrived at the scene, rescued him, and took him into custody.
On Thursday, a video clip showing the beating of that teacher circulated on social media, sparking widespread public discussion regarding the incident.
The principal of the madrasa initiated a case as the plaintiff, alleging illegal entry into the madrasa, physical assault on teachers and staff, and the snatching of Tk 17,00,000 from the cash drawer.
