Bangladesh madrasa sexual violence: MJF demands harassment committees after 1,028 cases in 4 months
Synopsis
A Dhaka rights body has flagged 1,028 cases of violence against women and girls in just four months — 479 involving children — as two Bangladesh madrasa teachers face charges of abusing students aged 10 and 11. MJF is now demanding the government enforce a 2023 High Court directive requiring all educational institutions, including madrasas, to form sexual harassment committees.
Key Takeaways
Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) demanded immediate formation of sexual harassment committees in all Bangladesh madrasas, in line with a 2023 High Court directive.
Bangladesh Mahila Parishad recorded 1,028 cases of violence against women and girls between January and April 2025 , with 479 involving girl children.
An 11-year-old student in Netrokona district was allegedly raped and impregnated by a madrasa teacher; the accused was detained by RAB after denying allegations online.
A separate madrasa teacher in Patuakhali district has been jailed over alleged abuse of a 10-year-old student.
MJF called for full implementation of Bangladesh's Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, 2000 and fast-tracking of a pending Sexual Harassment Law in parliament.
Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF), a leading Dhaka-based human rights organisation, has raised grave concern over the rising incidents of sexual violence against children in madrasas across Bangladesh, calling for immediate institutional safeguards after data revealed 1,028 women and girls were subjected to various forms of violence in just the first four months of 2025. The organisation's alarm follows two high-profile cases involving madrasa teachers accused of abusing students as young as 10 and 11 years old.
Key Incidents That Triggered the Alarm
The most cited case involves an 11-year-old student in Madan upazila of Netrokona district, where a madrasa teacher allegedly subjected the child to repeated abuse beginning in October 2024. The incident came to light on 18 April 2025, after a medical examination confirmed the victim was in an advanced stage of pregnancy. The accused reportedly denied the allegations online but was subsequently detained by Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
In a separate incident, a madrasa teacher in Patuakhali district has been jailed over the alleged sexual abuse of a 10-year-old student. MJF urged authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure strict punishment of the perpetrator.
What the Data Shows
According to findings by the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, 1,028 women and girls were subjected to various forms of violence, including sexual violence, between January and April 2025. Of these, 479 incidents specifically involved girl children — a figure the rights body described as revealing an alarming pattern. MJF stressed that these numbers likely underrepresent the true scale, as cases within madrasa settings are routinely suppressed.
What MJF Is Demanding
Shaheen Anam, Executive Director of MJF, stated:
Point of View
Not a series of isolated incidents. Bangladesh's High Court issued a clear directive in 2023 requiring educational institutions to form anti-harassment committees — yet madrasas have largely operated outside that mandate for two years. The suppression of abuse cases is not incidental; it is enabled by the social authority these teachers command in their communities. What is missing is not law — the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, 2000 already exists — but enforcement, accountability, and the political will to apply secular child protection standards uniformly across all educational settings, religious or otherwise.
NationPress
11 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What has MJF demanded regarding sexual violence in Bangladesh madrasas?
MJF has demanded the immediate establishment of sexual harassment committees in all madrasas across Bangladesh, in line with a 2023 High Court directive applicable to all educational institutions. The organisation also called for full enforcement of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, 2000 and fast-tracking of a pending Sexual Harassment Law in parliament.
How many violence cases against women and girls were recorded in Bangladesh in early 2025?
According to the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, 1,028 women and girls were subjected to various forms of violence, including sexual violence, between January and April 2025. Of these, 479 incidents specifically involved girl children.
What happened in the Netrokona madrasa case?
An 11-year-old student in Madan upazila of Netrokona district was allegedly repeatedly abused by a madrasa teacher beginning in October 2024. The case came to light on 18 April 2025 after a medical examination confirmed the victim was in an advanced stage of pregnancy. The accused denied the allegations online but was later detained by Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
Why are madrasa abuse cases often not reported?
MJF has noted that madrasa teachers exert significant influence and power over their communities, which leads to cases of sexual violence being routinely hushed up. The organisation has called for exposure of such teachers and strict accountability of concerned officials to break this pattern.
What is Bangladesh's Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, 2000?
It is a Bangladeshi law that criminalises brutal acts of violence against women and children, including sexual violence. MJF has demanded its full implementation in the context of the rising madrasa abuse cases, alongside the enactment of a pending Sexual Harassment Law currently awaiting parliamentary approval.
