Ensure independent investigations, transparent trials and protection for victims in Bangladesh
JMBF monitored and documented these incidents on the basis of verified information published on the websites of 82 national, local and international news outlets based in Bangladesh and abroad, and on social media.
According to JMBF’s report based on its monitoring and documentation, during the first nine months of 2026, 171 boy children were subjected to sexual violence involving 156 accused persons in 131 reported incidents across the country. Of these, 161 boy children were victims of rape in 122 incidents, and 10 boy children were victims of attempted rape in nine incidents.
Advocate Shahanur Islam, Founder President of JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) and a prominent human rights lawyer, has expressed deep concern over rape, attempted rape, prolonged sexual abuse, intimidation and the suppression of allegations involving boy children in Bangladesh. He has urgently called for the immediate, impartial investigation of every incident, prompt and transparent trials of the accused with child-friendly judicial support, exemplary punishment, and measures to ensure children’s safety in residential and non-residential religious educational institutions, neighbourhoods and workplaces. He has also demanded medical care and psychosocial services for every child.
Gaps in protection at religious educational institutions
According to JMBF’s monitored and documented information, 122 madrasa students in 84 incidents and 40 students from other schools in 38 incidents were victims of rape or attempted rape. Among these, 72 incidents occurred in madrasas, involving 109 documented victims. In 65 incidents, 81 madrasa teachers were accused of rape or attempted rape.
The monitoring findings indicate that these acts of violence involved a madrasa teacher waking children and calling them away, taking them to separate rooms, offering them food or money, threatening to kill them, and intimidating them with threats to circulate videos on the madrasa premises. Some allegations also involved a failure to act after the authorities were informed, instructions to families to remain silent, settlements through informal arbitration, or assistance to the accused in escaping. The responsibility of the institutions and the role of possible accomplices in these allegations require separate investigation.
Prolonged abuse and serious harm
According to JMBF’s monitored and documented information, 77 victims in 43 incidents were raped repeatedly or over a prolonged period. Preventing prolonged abuse requires safe opportunities for children to make complaints, contact with parents or guardians, and regular oversight.
According to JMBF’s monitored and documented information, the monitoring findings show that three victims died following three incidents of rape. Physical injuries to 45 victims were also reported in 31 incidents.
Geographical spread and trends over time
According to JMBF’s monitored and documented information, sexual violence against boy children occurred in all eight divisions. Rape or attempted rape affected 31 boy children in 29 incidents in Chattogram Division, 35 in 28 incidents in Dhaka Division, 29 in 20 incidents in Khulna Division, and 25 in 10 incidents in Sylhet Division.
According to JMBF’s monitored and documented information, August recorded the highest number of incidents: 29 incidents involving 38 boy children. In September, 37 boy children were victims of rape or attempted rape in 17 incidents.
Legal action and accountability
According to JMBF’s monitored and documented information, cases or General Diary (GD) entries were registered in 117 incidents involving 139 victims. No case or GD entry was registered in 14 incidents involving 32 victims. Information on arrests or partial arrests was available for 101 incidents; the total number of persons arrested was 119. JMBF believes that it is able to document only a negligible proportion of the boy children subjected to sexual violence every day across the country. This is because only incidents in which cases are filed and the accused are arrested come to its attention. Other incidents are covered up and remain unnoticed.
According to JMBF’s monitored and documented information, 116 incidents involving 138 victims are under investigation. JMBF calls for accountability through effective investigations and child-friendly judicial procedures.
JMBF’s demands
- Every allegation must be investigated promptly, impartially and effectively. Conditions must be established to ensure that the accused person’s position, profession, social influence or political affiliation cannot affect the investigation. Allegations of concealing complaints, intimidation and assisting the accused to escape must also be investigated.
- The safety of children and their families must be ensured. A child’s name, photograph, address, identifiable connection to an institution, or any other identifying information must not be disclosed. Safe complaint mechanisms and witness protection measures must be established.
- Child-friendly medical examinations, necessary treatment, long-term psychosocial support, free legal assistance and opportunities to continue education must be ensured. Accessible support must be provided for children with disabilities.
- Madrasas, schools, orphanages and residential institutions must introduce child protection policies, staff codes of conduct, independent complaint mechanisms, regular communication with parents or guardians, and effective oversight.
- Informal arbitration, settlements in exchange for money, or resignation must not be treated as substitutes for investigation and judicial proceedings in cases of alleged sexual violence. Pressure on children to withdraw complaints must end.
- Child-friendly judicial procedures and confidentiality of identity must be ensured for accused persons who are minors. JMBF calls for fair trials and accountability consistent with human rights instead of the death penalty.
- State agencies must publish separate, regularly updated statistics on incidents, victims, accused persons, cases, investigations and judicial outcomes while keeping identities confidential. Mechanisms must also be established to identify duplicate reporting of the same incident.
JMBF calls on the media, educational institutions, civil society and relevant government authorities to take allegations of sexual violence against boy children seriously and to refrain from blaming victims. Accountability must be ensured while safeguarding the safety and dignity of children and their families.
In solidarity,
Ms. Jannatul Ferdaus
Assistant Secretary General
JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF)
CNB premises, 180 Boulevard Haussmann, 75008 Paris, France
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