Within about three weeks of starting his education at a madrasa, a seven-year-old boy was raped and sexually abused by an older fellow student. Another student at the madrasah learned about the abuse and later raped the boy as well.

Over time, three more students from the same madrasa became involved in sexually abusing the child at different times. The accused students are all teenagers.

At one point, a teacher at the madrasa also raped the child. The boy had turned to the teacher for protection after being abused by fellow students. The incidents took place at a madrasa in Savar, on the outskirts of the capital, beginning in February.

The boy’s father has since filed a case with the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal. Five students and five teachers from the madrasa have been named as defendants.

One teacher has been accused of rape, while four others allegedly beat the child instead of taking action after hearing his account of the abuse. The madrasa’s director has been accused of failing to take action and instead giving the accused an opportunity to flee.