At least 274 minor boys were subjected to sexual violence across Bangladesh in 199 incidents between 1 January and 31 October 2026, with madrasa students constituting the majority of recorded victims, according to a ten-month monitoring report released by Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), a leading international human rights organisation. The findings expose what the group describes as an alarming and largely underreported crisis of child sexual abuse in the country.

Scale and Spread of Abuse

According to the report, 183 incidents involved allegations of rape affecting 257 children, while 16 cases involved attempted rape against 17 children. The incidents spanned 61 districts across all eight divisions of Bangladesh, occurring in classrooms, residential institutions, homes, and neighbourhoods.

The organisation stressed that many cases never come to public attention, and the actual scale of abuse may be substantially greater than what has been recorded. Notably, five incidents reportedly resulted in the deaths of children following alleged sexual violence — a detail that underscores the lethal dimension of the crisis.

Madrasas at the Centre of the Crisis

The report's most striking finding concerns the disproportionate prevalence of abuse within religious education settings. Madrasa students accounted for 180 victims across 121 incidents, constituting 65.7% of all recorded victims. Madrasas were identified as the physical locations of abuse in 100 incidents involving 158 victims.

Furthermore, madrasa teachers were named as accused in 93 incidents involving 131 victims, representing 49.4% of all accused persons recorded. When madrasa teachers, students, and religious leaders are considered collectively, they were identified as alleged perpetrators in 107 incidents involving 150 victims.

Critically, 136 children experienced repeated abuse across 67 incidents, accounting for nearly half of all recorded victims — a pattern suggesting systemic failure to intervene even when abuse was ongoing.

What JMBF Said

JMBF Founder President Shahanur Islam issued a direct statement on the findings. 'Every one of these children deserved to be safe. A child who finds the courage to speak about abuse must be heard and protected — not threatened, silenced, or sent back into danger. It is deeply disturbing that some of the people accused were entrusted with children's education and care,' he said.

Islam added: 'No institution's reputation is worth more than a child's safety. Anyone who abuses a child, conceals an offence or pressures a family to remain silent must face investigation and, where responsibility is established, lawful accountability. Arrests cannot be the end of the response. Children need treatment, someone they can trust, support to continue their education and a justice process that does not cause them further harm.'

Demands and Next Steps

The JMBF has urged Bangladeshi authorities to take immediate protective measures for children, ensure thorough investigations, and hold accountable all those responsible for the abuse or its concealment. The organisation's call comes amid broader international scrutiny of child protection frameworks in South Asia.

This report covers only incidents that entered the public record during a ten-month window; experts and advocates warn the unreported figure could be multiples higher. Whether Bangladesh's government acts on these findings — and how swiftly — will define the trajectory of child safety reform in the country.