Call for Social Resistance to Sexual Violence, Effective Protection of Boy Children, and Accountability for Those Responsible
Paris, France | 9 September 2026: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) today released its monitoring report on sexual violence against boy children in Bangladesh from its headquarters in Paris, France. According to JMBF’s monitoring, at least 103 boy children were subjected to sexual violence in 84 incidents or clusters of incidents between 1 January and 8 September 2026. Of these, 11 incidents involved multiple boy victims, representing 13.10 percent of all records.
Highlighting serious shortcomings in the protection of boy children, institutional accountability, and access to justice, JMBF urgently calls on the state and relevant institutions to ensure effective prevention, prompt and impartial investigations, and long-term support for victims.
JMBF Founder and President Advocate Shahanur Islam said:
“Sexual violence against even one boy child is unacceptable to us. Behind every documented allegation is a boy child whose safety, dignity, and future have been jeopardized. The repeated rape and other forms of sexual violence against boy children by teachers, imams, or fellow students in madrasas and mosques in Bangladesh are deeply disturbing. No allegation should be concealed under the pretext of protecting an institution’s reputation, social influence, or political or religious identity.
We call for peaceful social resistance to sexual violence, support for victims’ families, and the prosecution of those responsible on the basis of evidence. Social opposition to the accused must remain peaceful and be accompanied by action through lawful procedures. The safety of boy children and their access to justice must remain at the centre of every response.”
Half of Boy Victims Whose Ages Are Known Are Aged 6–10
Through its monitoring, JMBF was able to establish the specific ages of 66 of the 103 boy victims. Of all victims, one was aged 0–5, representing 0.97 percent; 33 were aged 6–10, representing 32.04 percent; 30 were aged 11–15, representing 29.13 percent; and two were aged 16–17, representing 1.94 percent. JMBF could not establish the specific ages of the remaining 37 victims, who accounted for 35.92 percent of the total.
Among victims whose ages are known, boys aged 6–10 constitute the largest group, representing half of the 66 victims with known ages.
Madrasas Account for 57.14 Percent of Records
According to JMBF’s monitoring, 48 incidents of sexual violence occurred in madrasas, representing 57.14 percent of all incidents. Ten incidents occurred in homes, five in public places, three in orchards or fields, and two in workplaces. One incident occurred in each of the following locations: a mosque, a hotel, a religious place, a commercial building, a school, and an abandoned kitchen. A further 10 incidents occurred in other locations.
According to JMBF’s monitoring, madrasa teachers were identified as accused persons in 46 of the 84 documented incidents (54.76 percent). Madrasa students, imams, and neighbours were each associated with three incidents, representing 3.57 percent each. Online acquaintances, relatives, and family acquaintances were each associated with one incident, representing 1.19 percent each. Other accused individuals were involved in 26 incidents, accounting for 30.95 percent.
JMBF clarified that its monitoring does not seek to assign collective blame to any profession or religious community. Its purpose is to highlight the need for effective protection of boy children, independent complaint mechanisms, and institutional oversight in light of the documented allegations.
JMBF’s Demands
Ensure prompt, impartial, and child-friendly investigations into every allegation and bring those responsible to justice on the basis of evidence.
Provide child victims and their families with protection, medical care, mental health services, legal assistance, and necessary rehabilitation.
Introduce effective child protection policies, independent complaint mechanisms, and regular oversight in schools, madrasas, residential institutions, and religious institutions.
Investigate allegations of concealing complaints, intimidating families, or forcing settlements, and hold those involved accountable on the basis of evidence.
Protect children’s identities and the confidentiality of their personal information at every stage of media reporting, investigation, and judicial proceedings.
Establish a system for the regular publication of national data covering age, sex, incident location, and progress in investigations and judicial proceedings.
JMBF emphasizes that no institution’s reputation, social influence, or political or religious identity can take precedence over a child’s safety and access to justice. In addition to responding to allegations, authorities must take effective, measurable action to prevent abuse.
In Solidarity,
Ms. Jannatul Ferdous
Assistant Secretary General
JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF)
CNB Premises, 180 Boulevard Haussmann, 75008 Paris, France
Email: info@jmbf.org | Website: www.jmbf.org
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