Teacher arrested over child abuse case in Dhaka

Police have arrested the teacher of Sharmin Academy in connection with a child abuse incident at the school in Dhaka’s Nayapaltan area.

The accused, Pabitra Kumar Barua, was arrested from Mirpur on Wednesday night (22 January), confirmed Hussain Md Farabi, assistant commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Motijheel Zone).

Police said a case has been filed under Section 70 of the Children Act, naming Pabitra Barua and Sharmin Zaman as accused.

The incident came to light after a video went viral on social media on Tuesday (20 January). The footage was first shared on Facebook by Advocate Saleh Uddin.

The video shows a woman, believed to be a teacher, wearing a pink saree, dragging a four to five-year-old boy in school uniform into an office room. She is seen repeatedly slapping and scolding the child as he sits on a sofa. A man, also believed to be a teacher, is seen approaching the child with a stapler and threatening to staple his mouth.

According to police, the CCTV footage is dated 18 January at 12:51pm. The child appears visibly frightened, while the woman is seen smiling, sparking widespread public outrage.

The child had been admitted to Sharmin Academy only seven days before the incident. His mother told Business Times that her son has since suffered severe psychological trauma.

“Even in his sleep, my child wakes up crying and keeps saying, ‘Don’t sew my mouth shut. I haven’t done anything. I don’t want to stay here, Mum,’” she said.

Following the incident, the parents filed a case under the Children Act, 2013, demanding maximum punishment for those involved. They also accused the school authorities of failing to ensure the safety and mental well-being of students.

Sharmin Academy has not issued any formal statement so far. A visit to the school on Thursday found the premises closed, with the main gate locked. Calls to the phone number listed on the school’s Facebook page went unanswered.