The High Court has issued a rule asking why the inaction of three relevant government ministries over incidents involving the forcible cutting of the hair and matted locks of Bauls, Fakirs and Sannyasis, the destruction of their ektaras, and attacks on their akhras in different parts of the country in the name of "social order" and "religious reform" should not be declared illegal.
The court also directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), and the head of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to investigate allegations of harassment and attacks against Bauls and Fakirs and submit a report within 60 days.
The respondents—including the secretaries of the Home Ministry, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, the IGP, the DMP commissioner and the additional inspector general of the CID—have been asked to respond to the rule within four weeks.
The order was passed on June 21, 2026, by a High Court bench comprising Justice Razik-Al-Jalil and Justice Debasish Roy Chowdhury following a hearing. The matter was confirmed on Saturday by Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua and Deputy Attorney General Jamila Mumtaz.
Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua appeared for the petitioners, while Deputy Attorney General Jamila Mumtaz, Deputy Attorney General Zahidul Islam Johnny and others represented the state.
The order comes amid growing concern over videos circulating on social media, particularly one that surfaced in September 2025 showing a group of men forcibly cutting an elderly Fakir's hair in public in Dhaka's Sadarghat area.
The incident itself had occurred nearly four months before the footage emerged online. A case was later filed on September 27 by the victim's son, Shahid Mia Akand.
In its rule, the court also asked why the government's failure to ensure constitutional protection for Bauls, Fakirs and Sannyasis, safeguard them from torture and degrading treatment, prosecute those responsible, and prevent similar attacks in the future should not be declared illegal.
It further sought an explanation as to why action should not be taken against the administrators of several Facebook pages and YouTube channels accused of spreading videos depicting the persecution of Bauls on social media.
Among those named as respondents are Md Mahbub Sarker, administrator of the Facebook page "mahbubcreations4"and the YouTube channel "Street Humanity of Bangladesh"; Mufti Sohrab Hossain Ashrafi, administrator of the YouTube channel "Humanity Fast BD", along with its joint administrator Mohammad Afsar Ahmed; and KM Riaz, administrator of the YouTube channel "KMReaz."
Appearing for the petitioners, Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua argued that the treatment of Bauls and Fakirs by what he described as a group of miscreants adhering to Wahhabi and Khariji beliefs constituted a clear violation of Articles 27, 31, 35(5), 36, 39(1) and 41 of the Constitution.
"Under Article 102 of the Constitution, this cruel and inhumane treatment of Fakirs and Bauls by a group of miscreants adhering to Wahhabi and Khariji beliefs constitutes a clear violation of Articles 27, 31, 35(5), 36, 39(1), and 41 of the Constitution," he said.
Barua said these constitutional provisions guarantee equality before the law, protection of the law, freedom from degrading treatment, freedom of movement, freedom of thought and conscience, and freedom of religion.
The petitioners include Shireen Parveen Haque, founder of Naripokkho; Professor Anu Muhammad; Professor Amena Mohsin; Hasan Shah Sureshwari Dipu Noori, Pir of Sureshwar Darbar Sharif; Professor Geetiara Nasreen; writer and researcher Altaf Parvez; and singer Farzana Wahid Shayan.
The petition cites a viral video showing an elderly man, identified as Halim Uddin Fakir, walking along a street before three men in grey vests chased him, dragged him aside, forced him to sit, and cut off his long matted hair—traditionally associated with Fakirs and Bauls.
The men seen in the video included Mufti Sohrab Hossain Ashrafi and Mohammad Afsar Ahmed, who operate the Facebook page "Human Service Bangladesh." Mufti Sohrab has described the activity as a form of social service.
The footage shows the elderly man desperately resisting and repeatedly crying, "Allah, I hope You see this," as the group used electric clippers to shave his head against his will. By the end of the ordeal, he collapsed in tears.
Mufti Sohrab had earlier defended the practice in media interviews.
"Those who are helpless, who are left lying around, who cannot possibly keep themselves clean, we help to make them clean," he said.
"Sometimes people call us from different areas if someone there needs this kind of cleaning. In those cases, we go and do it. At times it becomes a matter of force. We do all this with our own money," he added.
The incident sparked widespread outrage, with human rights activists condemning the assault and raising concerns over the growing targeting of Bauls and Fakirs. The video also triggered heated debate on social media, with some users supporting the act while many others denounced it as a criminal assault and a blatant violation of human dignity.
The victim's son, Shahid Mia Akand, later filed a case over the incident.
"We were unable to take any action earlier regarding the injustice done to my father. Since many people across the country have protested this wrongdoing, we have now sought legal recourse. Let the law take its course against those who committed this act," he told the media.
Rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) also condemned the incident, describing it as "inhumane" and "illegal" and a clear violation of the Constitution and fundamental human rights.
The organisation noted that Article 31 guarantees every citizen the right to legal protection and a life with dignity, Article 32 protects the right to life and personal liberty, and Article 35 prohibits cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
"Such incidents not only violate the victim's fundamental rights and personal liberty but also strike directly at human dignity, creating an environment of fear and insecurity in society," ASK said in a statement.
The organisation called for the immediate prosecution of those responsible and urged the state to ensure that no citizen is subjected to such humiliation again.
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