An athletics trainer was allegedly stopped and harassed at a Dhaka metro station for wearing a T‑shirt and shorts, after police on duty described his clothes as “obscene.”
The officer kept him standing in front of the ticket punch machine for 40 minutes, according to the trainer.
Sajjad Hossain Snigdho has been coaching marathon and ultramarathon runners for nearly 10 years and is himself a regular runner. He conducts early‑morning training sessions in several parks in Dhaka.
The incident took place on Sunday morning at Farmgate metro station.
Following the incident, Sajjad posted a video on his Facebook account. The 55‑second clip begins with a smiling police officer whose nametag read “Zakir.”
In the Facebook video, the officer is heard instructing Sajjad to dress “a little more decently.”
When Sajjad asked if there was any written rule defining what clothing was considered acceptable, the officer replied that it was his responsibility to make that judgment.
Sajjad told several media outlets that two other police officers also said the metro was a public place and that entering in shorts was not permitted. One of them advised him to return wearing trousers.
He also detailed his experience in the Facebook post and alleged that a female officer from the metro rail control board also questioned his clothing. She took his photo and went to speak with senior authorities, he said.
Later, after consulting with higher officials, Sajjad was permitted to board the metro.
He filed a written complaint at Farmgate metro station.
