Two men forcibly shorn in Bangladesh following mosque remarks controversy
Photo Collected
Authorities in Netrokona’s Barhatta upazila have launched an investigation after a video surfaced online showing two men being subjected to public humiliation by having their heads shaved as punishment for allegedly disparaging a mosque and its imam. The incident, which took place last Wednesday at the Madhupur Qawmi Madrasa, has sparked local outcry and drawn the attention of district law enforcement.
The controversy originated from a dispute regarding the monthly salary of the imam at the Helochia Bazar mosque, which is funded through local contributions. During a meeting held Monday to discuss salary increases, two men—one a local resident and the other a member of the Hindu community—reportedly questioned the proposal and made critical remarks. Although the men categorically denied the allegations of religious insult during the subsequent arbitration, they were pressured into offering an apology to the gathered crowd.
Despite the apology, a group of religious leaders and local figures, including the madrasa’s head teacher, Ali Ahmad, decided to proceed with a punitive measure. A one-minute video circulated on social media shows both men sitting on the veranda of the Madhupur Qawmi Madrasa, where their heads were forcibly shaved with a machine in the presence of onlookers.
Family members of the victims maintain that the men never insulted the mosque or religious figures, asserting that their comments were limited to the financial aspects of the imam’s compensation. One relative expressed deep distress over the public nature of the ordeal, noting that neither man has been able to face the community since the incident. He demanded that those responsible for the extralegal punishment be brought to justice.
Defending the arbitration, Ali Ahmad claimed that the disciplinary action was taken with the consent of the victims’ guardians to prevent the matter from escalating into a formal police case. He insisted that the decision was collective and not his individual call. Conversely, the general secretary of the Helochia Bazar Mosque Committee, Rangu Mia, distanced himself from the event, stating that he did not attend the meeting and emphasizing that all grievances should be handled through the legal system rather than extrajudicial acts.
Netrokona Superintendent of Police Tarikul Islam confirmed that officers were dispatched to the site after the footage surfaced on Thursday. Officials have promised a thorough investigation into the incident, asserting that those responsible for the forced public humiliation will face appropriate legal consequences.
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