While it is well documented and known to all that Koranic schools are breeding grounds of jihadists around the world, for past several years, there is mushroom growth of Kindergarten Madrassas [Koranic Schools] in Bangladesh, mostly being funded by dubious Afro-Arab sources. Only in Dhaka city, the numbers of such Kindergarten Madrassas are almost crossing the double digit, while the number of such madrassas within the country would be above twelve thousand. It may be mentioned here that, according to latest statistics, currently the number of Koranic Schools [both Qaomi and Dakhil] in Bangladesh are above 81,000, where at least 190 million students are getting fanatic-styled teachings of Koran and Islam with Jihadist indoctrination. Counter-terrorism experts believe, jihadist instigation through the misinterpretation of Koran is continuing within Koranic Schools around the world, and in recent past, the numbers of such institutions are increasing in the Western nations in an extreme alarming level. The Afghan-styled Jihadist activities generated rights within such religious schools through the creation of Talibans, who later joined hands with international terror outfits like Al Qaeda, Hamas and Hezbollah. The initial indoctrination of "kill a Jew and Christian and remain a good Muslim" gets planted into the minds of innocent children, who attend such Koranic school, thus ultimately turning them into miniature Ladens, who feel inspired in placing the Jihad-monger terrorists into the position of religious heroes. At the same time, practice of sodomy and sexual exploitation of the boy students by the madrassa teachers as well as senior students are very common, while girl students are becoming frequent victims of sexual and physical violence. According to statistics, girl students in the Koranic schools, especially those residing in the dormitories – lose virginity within the age of 10-12 in the hands of the male teachers, while the secret cases of pregnancy and abortions are not nominal.
A specific case of notorious physical violence of girl students in a Koranic madrassa in Bangladeshi Capital came into the media spotlight on May 2, 2012, where a female teacher seared legs of at least 14 students of Talimul Quran Mahila Madrassa [Women Madrassa of Koran Training] with a hot spatula in her punitive attempt to make them feel the "severity of hell-fire" for not performing prayers. The girls, aged between eight and twelve underwent the hellish experience and extreme notoriety as they were not regular in their prayers. The victims received treatments at a local hospital while the madrassa teacher Jesmin Akhter went into hiding after the father of a victim child lodged complaint with the local police station.
Abdul Jalil, father of torture-victim Jannatul Ferdous [8] said, the madrassa teacher Jesmin Akhter inflicted burns on the 14 students in the morning time for not being regular in offering their prayers. While burning the legs of the students with the hot spatula, Jesmin Akhter shouted saying "look this is the little example of the real hell-fire. You all will burn in the hell for not being regular in offering prayers."
Eye witnesses said, the notorious madrassa teacher placed her spatula on a burning gas oven adjacent to the classroom and each time burned legs of three students, keeping them standing in line. It was learnt that Jesmin Akhter was residing in one of the rooms of the five-room apartment, where the madrassa was located, along with her husband. Jesmin's husband used to tease the girl students on a regular basis, while few of them had also been sexually assaulted by the husband of the notorious madrassa teacher.
In addition to giving Koranic teachings to the girl students, they were regular told stories of "Islamic Heroes" such as Osama Bin Laden and the girls were given instigation in sacrificing their lives for the "cause of Islam". The teacher used to give encouragements to the girls in becoming a jihadist and even they were told of heavenly rewards, when someone would "embrace death" being a "martyr". The minor girls were regular taught of hating the Westerners and the Western cultures as well as those locals, who "follow the Western societies".
The case of Talimul Quran Mahila Madrasa is just one amongst many, while most of such notoriety remains isolated within the thick Islamic veils or dark curtains. There is no official record on the exact number of Koranic schools in Bangladesh, while the government does not have any regulatory body to monitor the activities of the Koranic school, especially those Qaumi Madrassas, which follow extremist Deobondi indoctrinations.
