Al-Haiatul Ulya Lil-Jamiatil Qawmia Bangladesh, the highest authority for Qawmi madrasas in the country, has issued new directives banning corporal punishment and mandating the creation of student protection committees across all affiliated institutions. This move aims to address recent allegations and reports of student abuse and unethical practices within Qawmi madrasas.
The directives, released on September 22, instruct all six Qawmi madrasa boards and their subordinate institutions to prohibit any form of physical punishment. Discipline, the guidelines emphasize, should focus on the correction and welfare of students rather than retaliation or punishment driven by anger. Physical penalties such as hitting students with sticks or canes, striking the face or sensitive parts of the body, and causing any injuries resulting in broken bones, bleeding, or scars are explicitly forbidden. In addition, verbal abuses, public humiliation, derogatory language, and other mental abuses are also banned.
Under the new rules, disciplinary actions should follow a progressive approach beginning with gentle warnings, escalating to verbal admonitions if necessary. If the situation warrants, guardians must be informed in writing and involved appropriately. Teachers found guilty of violating these directives could face accountability measures based on Shariah law and related institutional policies.
A significant component of the directives is the mandatory establishment or reactivation of student protection committees within every madrasa. These committees are responsible for receiving complaints from students, teachers, and staff regarding misconduct, abuse, or harassment. Upon receiving a complaint, investigations must be conducted promptly, and a detailed report submitted within seven days. In serious cases, accused individuals may be temporarily suspended during the inquiry process. Madrasas are also encouraged to hold regular Islahi Majlis, assemblies aimed at early identification and resolution of student-teacher issues, alongside Tarbiyati Majlis sessions focused on moral and spiritual training for new teachers. Meetings with parents are also recommended.
Furthermore, each madrasa board is directed to create a “Madrasa Monitoring Cell” tasked with supervising the madrasa network and operating a dedicated hotline to facilitate complaints from stakeholders. Failure to establish or maintain an active protection committee, or neglecting to address complaints adequately, could result in suspension or cancellation of a madrasa’s affiliation.
The guidelines were issued in response to intensified media and social media scrutiny of reported abuses in Qawmi madrasas. Al-Haiatul Ulya Lil-Jamiatil Qawmia stated that the measures draw from the educational and spiritual teachings of prominent Ulama-e-Deoband scholars, including Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi and Shaykhul Hadith Maulana Muhammad Zakaria Kandhalvi, as well as fatwas from widely respected Islamic institutions. The move reflects an effort to safeguard students’ rights while upholding the ethical and religious standards of the madrasa system in Bangladesh.