The identity of an elderly man, seen in a viral Facebook video being forcibly shaved by three men in panjabis, has been confirmed.
The man is Halim Uddin Akanda, 70, of Kodalia village in Kashiganj Bazar under Tarakanda upazila of Mymensingh. Locals know him as Halim Fakir.
During the assault, Halim cried out in pain, repeatedly saying: "Allah, tui dehis (Allah, You are my witness)."
Residents said Halim is neither insane nor mentally unstable. A devotee of Hazrat Shahjalal (R) and Shah Paran (R), he had kept his matted hair for 34 years. Once a farmer, he now practices spiritual healing and herbal treatment.
According to witnesses, a few days before Eid-ul-Azha, a group of men suddenly chased and caught him at Kashiganj Bazar, before forcibly cutting his hair, beard, and matted locks. Bystanders did not intervene. After the video surfaced online, people from nearby areas began flocking to see him.
Describing the incident, Halim said: “Four months ago, I was sitting at a shop in Kashiganj Bazar when a man from Kodalia asked me where I was going. Moments later, he called some men wearing panjabis. They dragged me out, pinned me down, and cut my hair and beard by force. Around 8–10 of them held me down. I fainted. Since then, I don’t feel like working. They thought I was insane. But I’m not—I’m a fakir. I do spiritual healing.”
Rezaul Karim Aslam, general secretary of the Mymensingh Baul Samity, who visited Halim, said: “Brother Halim is a devotee of the Naqshbandi Sufi order. He is now physically and mentally unwell. No one has the right to shave him against his will, film it, and spread it on social media. On behalf of the Baul community, we condemn this act and call on the authorities to take immediate legal action so such incidents are not repeated.”
Tarakanda police station OC Tipu Sultan said: “We have seen the video and spoken with the victim’s family. If he files a case or complaint, the culprits will be arrested.”