Madrasa student Nayeem's death: Teacher Zakaria placed on 3-day remand

A court has granted a three-day remand for arrested madrasa teacher Zakaria in connection with the recovery of 13-year-old student Nayeem Sheikh's body from a madrasa in Dhaka's Rayerbagh. The remand hearing for another arrested teacher, Zobayer Ahmed, in the same case has been set for August 18.

Metropolitan Magistrate Mahbub Alam passed the order on Thursday, August 13. SI Abdus Sabur of the prosecution division confirmed the matter .

After the remand hearing, as the accused were being taken to the lock-up from the court, relatives of the deceased Nayeem attacked them. Police quickly escorted the accused to safety.

During the remand hearing, the judge asked for Teacher Zakaria's account. Zakaria claimed Nayeem went to the bathroom after the Zuhr call to prayer and did not open the door despite repeated calls after a long time .

He said senior students later opened the door and found Nayeem hanging from his shirt sleeve. He said he was in Madanpur at the time and came to the madrasa after receiving a phone call.

Zakaria said he found Nayeem's body warm on arrival. A doctor was called, who declared Nayeem dead. Parents and police were then informed.

When the judge inquired about CCTV cameras at the madrasa, Zakaria said there were cameras but the hard disk was damaged. The judge questioned whether, as head of the institution, he could avoid responsibility for the damaged hard disk. Zakaria claimed a hafiz at the madrasa told him Nayeem had run away three times before.

The judge also called in one of Nayeem's brothers, who also studied at the madrasa, to hear his account. The child stated that teachers used to beat students with sticks.

The court then ordered Zakaria's three-day remand. Defence counsel for the other teacher, Zobayer Ahmed, requested the remand hearing be deferred, citing his age. The court set the hearing for August 18.

According to the case's First Information Report (FIR), Nayeem and his brother both studied at Rawzatul Ulum Hafizia Nurani Madrasa in the Jorakhamba area of Rayerbagh. His mother, Nazma Begum, alleged that teachers abused Nayeem for various reasons.

When Nayeem informed his mother, she wanted to withdraw him from the madrasa, but the accused refused to issue a transfer certificate. The FIR states teachers became more angered when Nayeem expressed his unwillingness to continue studying.

On August 3, around 1pm, Nayeem told his teachers he would no longer study there. His mother alleged he was beaten and confined at that time. Nazma Begum alleged the accused strangled Nayeem to death between 1pm and 2:30pm that day.

Nayeem's body was later recovered from the third-floor bathroom. His mother filed a murder case against teachers Zakaria and Zobayer with Kadamtali Police Station .

Police arrested both from the madrasa that night and sent them to jail the next day. The investigating officer later sought a five-day remand for them. After Thursday's hearing, the court granted Zakaria three days on remand.