During the ongoing Muslim holy month of Ramzan, a madrasa head teacher was arrested by Bangladesh police for raping a minor girl student. The incident was reported from Darshana, situated in the Chuadanga district of Bangladesh’s Khulna division.
The student’s father filed a case at the police station on Thursday, April 7, against 54-year-old maulvi Golam Kibria. Kibria is a resident of Kuchia Mor village in Bheramara Upazila of Kushtia and was serving as the in-charge of the madrasa for female students for several years.
At around 10 am on Thursday, the police caught the rape-accused maulvi and arrested him. The matter has led to massive unrest in the Darshana area. A mob of about 200 enraged guardians reached the madrasa after learning about this incident and took their children home. The angry mob also hung a lock at its gate.
According to local sources and police statements, back in 2016, the Mashuma Jannat Mahila Madrasa was established in a rented accommodation in the Tetultala area of Darshana. At that time, Imam Maulana Mufti Ghulam Kibria, serving as the head of the Darshana Central Jame Mosque, took charge as the newly established Mahila Madrasa chief. But, he had to step down from the imamate of Darshana Central Jame Mosque due to various disputes involving him.
Multiple allegations were levelled against Golam Kibria while running the Mahila madrasa. A couple of years ago, a student had died allegedly due to excessive torture meted out to her in that madrasa. The moulvi’s name had surfaced as an accused in that case. Despite the seriousness of the allegations, the administration had covered up the incident.
But this time, Golam Kibria has been accused of raping a 10-year-old third grader. He has also reportedly confessed to the rape. The family of the minor victim, providing details on the issue, said that Imam Golam Kibria had taken their child to a rented house near the station and raped her multiple times. But it was made known just a few days ago when the girl’s classmates learned of the incident, and rumours around it started.
The victim’s family also learned about the rape during this time. On Thursday morning, the furious family members reached the madrasa looking for the accused Maulana. But when they could not find him in the madrasa, they headed to his rented house and asked for an explanation.
When quizzed, the rape-accused Maulana Golam Kibria openly confessed to the rape. “I have done this wrong thing by being deceived by the devil,” said the Maulana blaming a “shaitan” who had ‘possessed’ him and committed the rape through him.
Upon receiving the information, local police reached the spot and took control of the situation. Maulana Golam Kibria, who was gheraoed by an angry mob, was immediately taken into police custody and produced in court. The court ordered him to be sent to jail.
The victim was taken to Chuadanga Sadar Hospital for a medical check-up on Thursday, but as there were no doctors available, she was kept in Victim Safe Home. She was scheduled to undergo a medical examination on Friday.
Referring to the case, Darshana Police Station OC Lutful Kabir stated, “The victim was a resident student of the Madrasa. Teacher Golam Kibria had threatened her and raped her at least twice. The child fell unwell after the rape. The family took legal action after the mother learned of the incident. We are also interrogating other students of the Madrasa on this matter. Necessary steps will be taken for the medical examination of the student.”
