Imam gets seven years in jail for attempting to sexually assault maktab student in Faridpur

A court has sentenced mosque imam Ariful Islam (26) to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Tk 50,000 for attempting to sexually assault a 10-year-old student. If the fine is not paid, he will have to serve one more year of simple imprisonment.

Judge Shamima Parvin of the Faridpur Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal announced the verdict at around 1:30 pm on Sunday (November 8). The convicted accused, Ariful Islam, was present in court when the verdict was given. After the verdict, he was taken to the district jail under police guard.

The accused, Ariful Islam, is a resident of Purura village in Bhawal union of Saltha upazila, Faridpur. He was the imam of a mosque in Ramnagar union of Nagarkanda upazila. Besides leading prayers, he taught children religious education through a maktab at the mosque in the morning.

Court sources said Ariful Islam called children every morning through the mosque microphone for religious education. On the day of the incident, October 5, 2024, it was raining in the morning, so he did not call on the microphone. The victim child went to the mosque as usual to study at the maktab.

Finding the child alone, the imam then attempted to assault him. The child cleverly opened the door, ran out, and went home and told his family about the incident.

On hearing this, family members and locals went to the mosque, detained Ariful Islam and informed the police. Nagarkanda police arrived and arrested him. The same day, the child's mother filed a case at Nagarkanda police station under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act.

Sub-Inspector Shahidul Islam of Nagarkanda police station, the investigation officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet in court on November 17, 2024.

Confirming the facts, Golam Rabbani Bhuiya, the tribunal's public prosecutor, said the accused admitted his guilt in court and, as his offence was proved beyond doubt on the basis of evidence, the judge delivered the verdict. The prosecution expressed satisfaction with the verdict.

He said the prosecution also believes that such misdeeds by those whose duty was to educate children in Islamic education and build them as good citizens are not acceptable.

The prosecution believes that through this verdict, society will be protected from such misdeeds.