An eight-year-old madrasa student named Faizul Karim Musha was allegedly subjected to severe physical abuse by his teacher, Md. Sowaib Hossain, at Al Karim Hifzul Quran Nurani Madrasa in Durgapur village of Bakerganj upazila, Barishal. The incident occurred around 7 p.m. on Monday, and the accused teacher went into hiding immediately afterward.

The victim’s mother, Mukta Begum, said she found her son with blood clots on various parts of his body when she visited the madrasa the next morning. She took him to the upazila health complex for treatment and filed a written complaint with Bakerganj police against the teacher and the madrasa’s director, Md. Anwar Hossain. The accused teacher could not be reached for comment, and he disconnected a call upon learning it was from a journalist.

Madrasa director Anwar Hossain expressed regret over the incident but denied allegations of regular abuse at the institution. The Bakerganj upazila education officer stated that corporal punishment is not permitted and that action would be taken following an investigation if a written complaint is received.