When 10-year-old Shikha (pseudonym), a fifth-grade student at a primary school in Gazipur, hears the word “school,” she begins to tremble.
Just months ago, she went to class each morning with excitement, clutching her books and laughing with friends.
Now, she refuses to go.
Her mother recalled the moment she realized something was terribly wrong.
“My daughter had been unusually quiet for days. One evening she broke down crying and said, ‘Mom, the teacher touched me in a bad way.’ I couldn’t believe it,” she said.
“When I told the headmaster, he tried to cover it up.”
Local authorities later intervened, suspending the accused teacher and opening an investigation. A case has been filed, but months later, it remains under review.
“We just want justice,” said Shikha’s mother.
“No other girl should suffer what my daughter did.”
A growing crisis
Shikha’s story is not an isolated one.
Reports of sexual harassment and abuse of schoolchildren by teachers are increasing nationwide, raising deep concerns about safety in classrooms once considered sanctuaries.
According to Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), between January and September, at least four students aged 7 to 12 were sexually abused by teachers.
In 2024, there were 33 reported cases, more than the combined total of the previous three years (2021–2023).
An official at the Directorate of Primary Education, requesting anonymity, said many cases are quietly buried.
“School authorities often try to hide these incidents to protect their reputation. That delays investigations and emboldens offenders,” the official said.
In Rajshahi, Tangail, Naogaon, and Chuadanga, several teachers accused of harassment are already out on bail, continuing to live normal lives.
When teacher is the threat
Experts warn that such incidents strike at the heart of the education system.
“A teacher is someone children are taught to trust. When that teacher becomes the abuser, the entire system collapses,” said Dr Mahmuda Khatun, professor of sociology at the University of Dhaka.
“Implementing child protection policies in every school is now urgent.”
Psychiatrist Dr Md Khairul Islam noted that survivors of child sexual abuse often endure severe psychological trauma.
“Victims lose confidence, develop anxiety, and sometimes blame themselves,” he said.
“Many experience sleep disorders or depression that can persist into adulthood. Parents must treat this not as shame but as a legal and medical emergency.”
Culture of silence
Despite strong laws against sexual abuse, child rights advocates say weak enforcement and administrative inertia often leave victims without justice.
“Even when internal investigations confirm wrongdoing, disciplinary action is slow,” said an official at the Directorate of Primary Education.
Masuda Begum, health director of Nari Maitree, said schools often lack even the most basic child protection mechanisms.
“Most schools don’t have complaint boxes or trained counselors. Children aren’t told where to go if they’re harassed. Many are too scared to believe their teacher could be the offender,” she said.
“We must break this culture of silence.”
Nari Maitree and other rights groups have urged the government to make child protection training mandatory for teachers, establish Child Protection Committees in every school, and introduce confidential reporting systems for students.
An officer from the Child-Sensitive Social Protection in Bangladesh (CSPIB) project added that measures are being developed to strengthen school safety protocols nationwide, but implementation remains slow.
For Shikha’s parents, justice is personal and painfully simple.
“We don’t want revenge,” her father said quietly.
“We just want every school to be a safe place for every child in Bangladesh.”