Who protects families when they report child sexual abuse?

After reporting that his seven-year-old daughter had allegedly been sexually harassed and molested at a madrasa in Tongi, a father has had to ask police for something else: protection for his family. The accused teacher is in jail, and police say their preliminary findings support the girl's allegation. The madrasa authorities, meanwhile, have accused the father and others of assaulting staff, vandalising the premises and stealing Tk 17 lakh. The father denies the allegations of vandalism and theft and says he has received death threats, including through social media.

The two complaints concern different alleged offences, and both require investigation. But the father's request for protection cannot be left unanswered. Have police assessed the threats he says he faces? And what steps have they taken?

The child reportedly stopped attending classes after the alleged incident and eventually told her parents what had happened. When relatives went to the madrasa, the confrontation turned violent, and police rescued the accused teacher from an assault. That attack was wrong, regardless of the allegation against him. Since then, investigators have collected CCTV footage and other evidence, spoken to witnesses and had the child's statement recorded before a magistrate, Prothom Alo reported on October 25.

The police assessment is a preliminary finding, not a verdict. The allegations against the family also deserve scrutiny, but they must not divert attention from the complaint concerning the child.

The concern goes beyond Tongi. This newspaper reported six allegations of sexual abuse involving children at madrasas within 16 days, some involving seven-year-olds. The cases have brought arrests, protests and promises of action. For families considering whether to report abuse, however, there is another question: what happens after they approach the police?

A dispute in Savar shows why that question matters. The grandfather of a 13-year-old madrasa student filed a case accusing the institution's owner and head-teacher of raping her. The owner's son later filed a case alleging looting and vandalism, naming 21 people, including the grandfather. Police told this newspaper that they had advised the madrasa authorities against naming him. He was named nevertheless. An officer said he would not be arrested without an investigation.

The accusations of theft and property damage require a proper investigation, just as the alleged rape does. The difficulty is that the person pursuing the child's complaint is now accused in a related dispute. Police must establish the facts separately and ensure that neither investigation is used to interfere with the other. Their decision to question the inclusion of the grandfather makes this an issue that deserves particular care.

In Noakhali, there was more direct evidence of pressure to withdraw a complaint. In April, the family of a 14-year-old madrasa student was attacked after her father filed a case accusing the institution's superintendent of attempted rape. Video footage showed attackers vandalising the family home and demanding that the complaint be withdrawn. Family members were assaulted.

The family had already tried to seek help locally. A union parishad representative acknowledged attempting to arbitrate before the police case was filed. But that deserves scrutiny too. An allegation of attempted rape involving a child should certainly be referred to police, not negotiated like another neighbourhood dispute. The reporting does not establish that the attempted settlement caused the attack, but it shows how a family seeking help can encounter pressure even before an investigation begins.

These three cases do not establish a nationwide practice of filing retaliatory complaints. In Tongi and Savar, the motives behind the competing allegations remain unproven; in Noakhali, attackers openly demanded withdrawal of the case. What links them is the danger of a child's complaint becoming entangled in disputes among adults. Those disputes have to be investigated, but the original allegation must remain a priority.

Madrasa authorities have responsibilities here. They may deny accusations and report violence or theft. Accused teachers are entitled to fair treatment, and no institution should be condemned on an allegation alone. But protecting an institution's reputation must not transpire into discouraging complaint. Administrators should cooperate with police and make sure that the child can seek help without being caught in a confrontation between adults.

In Tongi, the seven-year-old girl reportedly struggled to tell her parents what had happened. Her father then approached the authorities, but now says his family has received death threats. Police have two responsibilities: investigate the alleged abuse and address the father's safety concerns. How they handle both matters will send a message to other parents considering whether to report abuse. If speaking up exposes a family to further trouble without adequate protection, silence may begin to seem the safer choice.