A police officer has come under mass criticism after he reportedly forced a teenaged boy to get a haircut on account of having an “unruly appearance”. The incident occurred in Amtala Lake area of Barisal city on Friday evening.
A video of the incident uploaded by the police officer in question, Mohiuddin Mahi, sub-inspector of the Detective Branch of Police, went viral and subsequently generated mass criticism from netizens as well as rights activists and lawyers.
In the video which was shot inside a salon, a teenaged boy was seen being verbally rebuked for having long dyed hair and earrings on by DB SI Mohiuddin Mahi, who later ordered him to get a haircut immediately.
Speaking on the matter, Mohiuddin Mahi said: “The teenager was an unruly one with scruffy hair. So I asked him to get a haircut.”
Juvenile gang crime was on the rise across the country and multiple teams of police were working in the district to curb the menace, he added.
According to him, he, along with a DB team, was stationed at Amtala Lake on Friday evening. At that time, a group of rowdy teenagers was disturbing the peace in the lake area in the name of celebrating a birthday. So the police went to the area to keep law and order.
One of them had dyed hair, wore earrings and had tattoos on his body. So police took him to a nearby salon to get a haircut and he complied with the request.
Talking to Dhaka Tribune, the victim said police forced him to get a haircut for no good reason. “I was apprehended by the police from Amtala Lake area because I had dyed hair and earrings on. I told the police I was an actor just back from shooting a short film. But the police didn’t listen.”
Afzalul Karim, president of the Barisal Bar Association, cited the incident as illegal and unethical conduct.
He said: “The law does not give the police power to force anyone to get a haircut. Police are not above the law. The police can be sued over this incident.
Rafiqul Alam, general secretary of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Sujan), Barisal metropolitan branch, voiced similar concerns.
He said: “The basic rights of this teenager have been violated. The police could have given the teenager a word of advice but nothing more. It is the job of the police to uphold the law and order. But the police do not have the authority to exercise judiciary powers.”
Speaking on the issue, Monjur Rahman, deputy commissioner of BMP’s Detective Branch, said: “Police did not cut anyone's hair. The teenager may have appeared to be unruly because of scruffy hair. So, the police took him to the salon and asked him to get a haircut, which should’ve been the job of the parents.”