A Dhaka court has placed a madrasa student on a five-day remand in a case filed over the alleged rape and abetment to suicide of a 10-year-old student in the capital’s Rampura area.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Hasibuzzaman passed the order on Thursday after hearing a remand petition filed by the investigation officer.
SI Abul Kalam Azad of the prosecution department confirmed the matter.
The accused, Md Shihab Hossain, was arrested from Khakchhara village under Bera police station in Pabna on Wednesday night.
Investigation officer and Rampura police station SI Saiful Islam produced him before the court and sought a seven-day remand.
During the hearing, Dhaka Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Omar Faruk argued in favour of the remand, saying incidents of sexual abuse in madrasas were becoming increasingly concerning and damaging to society and the education system.
The judge asked the accused whether he had legal representation. Shihab replied that he did not.
The court later granted a five-day remand to be completed within the next eight working days.
On Tuesday night, police recovered the body of 10-year-old Md Abdullah from Alokito Quran International Hifz Madrasa in Banasree C-Block, Rampura. Police said the child was found hanging with a towel.
The body was later sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for an autopsy.
DMP Deputy Commissioner Harun Or Rashid said initial findings from the post-mortem examination found signs of sexual assault.
Police said madrasa authorities informed investigators that Shihab had previously been accused of sexually assaulting four other students.
On Wednesday, the victim’s mother, Tuku Ara Khatun, filed a case with Rampura Police Station, accusing Shihab and several others of rape and abetment to suicide.
