Forced headshave, beard shave: Perpetrators, victims and rule of law

A recent uncomfortable trend of forced headshave and beard shave has become a topic of widespread discussion and criticism nationwide. In several viral videos posted on social media platforms, it has been seen that elderly people who are staying in the courtyard of a shrine or begging on the streets are suddenly being caught and their hair and beards are being forcibly cut. Netizens expressed anger and concern over such incidents soon after these scenes spread on social media.

Who are the victims
Several such videos have gone viral on various social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube, TikTok. In these videos, it is seen that several young men are forcibly grabbing people who are begging, living in a shrine or crematorium or leading a mystical lifestyle and shaving their beards, hair or locks. In most cases, these acts are being done by threatening the victim or in a joking manner.

According to locals, these victims have been living in shrines or on the streets for a long time. Most of them are homeless. The victims of torture have chosen the life of a ‘fakir’ or ‘dervish’ as a result of religious initiation or following Sufi philosophy. Such examples of living a life are not new in Sufi tradition. History shows that many Sufi saints in the subcontinent used to lead ordinary lives and mix with the marginalized people of society.

In one such viral video, an old man’s hair and hair tangles are being forcibly cut in public. Three men wearing caps and Punjabis seen forcibly shaving the hair of a person who looks like a Baul fakir in the market. The victim old man seen trying to free himself for a long time, but he failed. At one point, he finally surrendered helplessly and said, "Allah, watch this."

The victim, Halim Uddin Akand, 70, is a resident of Kodalia village in Kashiganj Bazar area of ​​Tarakanda upazila of Mymensingh. Locals know him as Halim Fakir. He is not mentally ill. He is a devotee of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) and Shah Paran (RA) and had a tangle on his head for 34 years. A few days before the last Eid-ul-Adha, a group of people suddenly came running to Kashiganj Bazar in the upazila and forcibly cut his hair, beard and locks. The people around him did not interfere during this incident.

Halim Uddin said that he had never cut his hair since he started visiting the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal. His hair was approximately 30 years old. Suddenly, when these people forcibly cut his hair, he lost consciousness. Due to the impact of this incident, he is currently in panic and depressed. He is losing his consciousness often since the incident occurred.

Another person who was forcibly cut off his hair, beard and locks, was also not a vagrant or mentally ill. He used to burn bodies in crematoriums and has been walking around with locks for many years.

Outrage, strong criticism at all levels
When such videos spread on social media, netizens expressed strong reaction and anger. Human rights activists and socially conscious people say that these incidents are a grave insult to human dignity. Fakir Abdus Sattar, a folk artist and Baul singer from Kushtia told Views Bangladesh that no one should force such things onto anyone's thoughts. No one should interfere with the freedom of mind of someone who is growing his hair and beard. Fakir Abdus Sattar also believes that if the state is humane, everyone should be allowed to choose their own opinions and paths.

Meanwhile, human rights watchdog Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) has expressed deep concern over these incidents and called for legal action to be taken by quickly identifying those responsible. The human rights organisation says the state must ensure that no citizen is subjected to such humiliation and illegal behavior in the future. A statement sent to the media on Thursday, ASK said that Article 31 of the Constitution of Bangladesh gives every citizen the right to live a dignified life under the protection of the law. Article 32 guarantees life and personal liberty, and Article 35 prohibits cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment towards anyone. Forcibly cutting hair in public is not only a violation of the victim's fundamental rights and personal freedom, but also a direct attack on his dignity.

Who are the perpetrators?
At least three people are involved in these incidents. They are--Md. Afsar Ahmed, Mufti Sohrab and Md. Belal Mia. As seen in various videos on social media, they regularly make videos of cutting the hair and beards of homeless and familyless people and upload them on Facebook and YouTube. It is being promoted in the name of providing health, cleanliness and basic assistance to the people. The video of Halim Uddin's harassment has been circulated from a page named "Human Service Bangladesh". Earlier this page used to make videos on a commercial basis under a different name. At that time, its name was also different. At least four such videos are found on this page where these people are wearing vests with the 'Human Service Bangladesh' logo on them.

The main leader of this group is Mufti Sohrab. In a recent interview given to BanglaFact, he admitted that he does not have much experience in making videos or managing social media. However, after taking the initiative, he realized that it is possible to earn money through it. Then he contacted the owner of the BD TheBest page, Md. Afsar, who later changed the name of the page. Page analysis shows that before 2024, Md. Afsar went to different places including parks, cinema halls and asked people various questions and used to create content. Another member of this page is known to be a CNG driver. The video uploaders claim that they are cleaning the homeless people up so that they can live a little better life.

Cleanliness initiative or inhumane behavior
Human rights activists have said that using an innocent or vulnerable person to make money is a violation of human rights. The question arises: How justified is such an act without the will and consent of the victim? In this regard, Salma Akhter, a professor of the Department of Sociology at Dhaka University, told Views Bangladesh: "Those who are marginalized in society, mentally weak or homeless are the most victims of such behavior. Whether they are followers of Sufi philosophy or mentally ill, they also have civil rights. Insulting in the name of cutting their beards is a mere display of power."

Dr. Chiranjeeb Biswas, an associate professor at the Medical College for Women and Hospital and a mental health physician, said that nothing to be said differently for those who grow their hair and beards out of religious belief. This kind of practice is prevalent all over the world. They have nothing to say about their religious belief. However, if someone or any group walks on the streets with their hair and beards long and there is any kind of connection with drugs, then the state can take action against it. "We should all be careful about the people, we cannot just make ‘content’ for social media harassing people."

Social and religious aspects
The disadvantaged, vagrants, or homeless people on the streets do not get chances to cut their hair or beards. The culture of providing them with clean and hygienic services is very popular in the developed-civilized-world. Such service activities are carried out in the developed-civilized-world by various social organizations or private initiatives. However, a few things need to be ensured before such social activities. First, if a temporary salon is set up on the street or in an open place for cutting hair, the organizer must obtain permission from the government department concrened. Second, only those who come to take the service of cutting hair and beard of their own free will can be provided with that service. No one can be caught and forced to cut his hair and beard.

Third, the service provider must be skilled in cutting hair and beard, and the work must be done professionally and hygienically. The hair and beard of the service recipient must be cut according to his own choice, not by shaving his head. These three things above are important because adhering to them means respecting the laws of the state, the disadvantaged-vagabond or homeless people, and human rights and individual freedoms.

Meanwhile, from a religious perspective, keeping long hair has importance. Followers of Sufism see long hair and beard as a symbol of spirituality. In this regard, Islamic thinker Hafez Maulana Shawkat Ali said that the lifestyle of fakirs and dervishes often seems different to the common people. But ridiculing or forcibly changing someone's religious identity and symbol of devotion is against religious values.

Islamic Foundation Muhaddis, Research Department, Dr. Waliur Rahman Khan said: "If someone keeps their hair and beard as a voluntary act, then anyone cannot cut it off at will. This is inappropriate from all aspects of law and society. However, there is also a provision on how long hair and beard can be kept."

What does the law say
According to legal experts, cutting someone's beard and hair without their permission is tantamount to physical injury and mental torture. Legal action can be taken in such activities. In this regard, Views Bangladesh talked with Dhaka Metropolitan Police Media and Public Relations Division Deputy Police Commissioner Muhammad Talebur Rahman. He said that police have not seen such an incident in Dhaka city. However, he termed the issue as condemnable and said that such an act without someone's permission is definitely a crime in the eyes of the law. He also said that if anyone complains, they will take action against the offenders.