Public Outcry After Elderly Fakir’s Hair Shaved in Dhaka
A viral video showing a group of men forcibly shaving the hair of an elderly fakir in Dhaka’s Sadarghat area has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation from human rights organisations.
The disturbing footage, circulated on social media, depicts the fakir walking along the street before three men in grey vests chase him down, drag him aside, and force him to sit. Despite his repeated pleas and cries of “Allah, you see this,” the men take out a trimmer and begin shaving his long matted hair, traditionally associated with fakirs and bauls. By the end of the ordeal, the visibly shaken man collapses in tears.
The identities of the perpetrators and the exact timing of the incident remain unclear. However, the video has ignited heated debate online. While some users defended the act, the majority condemned it as a degrading assault and a blatant violation of basic human dignity.
Rights group Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) issued a statement on Thursday (25 September), calling the act “inhumane, illegal, and unconstitutional.” The organisation stressed that such treatment directly contravenes Bangladesh’s Constitution: Article 31 guarantees the right to live with dignity under the law, Article 32 ensures personal liberty, and Article 35 prohibits cruel or degrading treatment.
ASK further warned that incidents like this not only strip individuals of their rights but also fuel fear and insecurity in society. The organisation urged authorities to immediately identify and prosecute those responsible, while calling on the state to guarantee that no citizen is subjected to such humiliation again.
The incident highlights ongoing concerns about mob, public shaming and extrajudicial acts that undermine human rights and the rule of law in Bangladesh.
