Bangladeshi police have arrested the principal of Baitul Huda Cadet Madrasa for raping at least a dozen girls since 2018 at Fatulla region outside Dhaka. The accused claimed he was 'possessed by Satan', and said he was innocent.
Al Amin was arrested on Thursday by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) for sexually assaulting children studying in his institution. His criminal acts came to light after the mother of a 10-year-old girl victim filed a case of rape against him.
Chief of RAB Lieutenant Colonel Kazi Samser Uddin said the mother came to know about his acts after the child watched a TV show that depicted sexual assault and told her that the principal "did the same to her," reported AFP.
Uddin also said the investigation revealed that the principal raped 10 to 12 girls since 2018 and tried to violate many others. They also found videos of forced sexual intercourse in his cellphone and his personal computer.
Officials said that when his wife wouldn't be at their house or after the Madrassa would be 'closed,' the teacher used to threaten girls of beating, giving poor marks in exams and failing them in exams to force the girls into his house, reported The Daily Star.
Amin who is also an imam of a local mosque, later confessed that he forcibly raped several of his students. He is reportedly charged under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act and the Digital Security Act.
The incident sparked protests across the town as demonstrators demanded justice and punishment for the heinous acts by the religious figure.
In April, a 19-year-old-girl, Nusrat Jahan Rafi, was burnt to death by attackers under the orders of a Madrassa principal after she refused to withdraw a sexual assault case against him. The incident received widespread media attention. Police probe found 16 men guilty and are facing the death penalty. Their case is presently on trial.
Data reveal, in Bangladesh, rape against minors increased 41 per cent in 2019 as compared to 2018, according to a recent report by Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF).
