The identities of those who forcibly cut the hair and beard of an elderly man in Tarakanda upazila of Mymensingh, under pretense of humanitarian work, have now been confirmed following an investigation by Bangla Fact.
Quoting the investigation, Press Institute Bangladesh Director General Faruk Wasif wrote in a Facebook post, “Individuals linked to a Facebook page named Human Service Bangladesh were behind the incident.
“A man named Mufti Sohrab from Dhaka’s Mohammadpur led the initiative and was also seen in the viral video cutting the hair of the victim, 70-year-old Halim Uddin.”
He added, “The video was recorded about three months ago at Kashiganj Bazar in Tarakanda. The page owners routinely film homeless and destitute people while forcibly cutting their hair and beard, later uploading the content on Facebook and YouTube.
“The activity is promoted under the guise of providing health, hygiene and basic support.”
Providing more details, Wasif mentioned, “This page previously operated under different names for commercial purposes, charged Tk 1,400 for producing a single video. Initially launched in June 2020 as BD The Best, the page was renamed News 64 in May 2024, then Afsar Studio in August.
“It finally became Human Service Bangladesh on 30 January this year. Only after the latest change did individuals appear in videos wearing vests branded with the organisation’s logo.”
The controversial video of 70-year-old Halim has since been removed from the page, and the phone number listed there is switched off. Analysis of its content shows three to four individuals seen cutting multiple people’s hair by force.
According to Bangla Fact, the group also runs a YouTube channel called Humanity First BD, listing three representatives – Md Afsar Ahmed, Mufti Sohrab, and Md Belal Mia.
Mufti Sohrab admitted to Bangla Fact that he heads the initiative, despite having little experience in content creation.
“We realised after starting the initiative that it could generate income,” he said. Sohrab explained that they later connected with Afsar, who managed the page and handled content uploads.
Before 2024, Afsar was known for producing staged videos on everyday themes such as love and quarrels, recorded in parks and cinema halls. None of that content is visible on the current page.
Sohrab, who lives in Mohammadpur and works as a private Arabic tutor, claimed the income from videos was used “for good causes.” He also said he is unemployed and not affiliated with any political or religious organisation. Team member Belal Mia is a CNG auto-rickshaw driver.
The Human Service group reportedly travels across the country when contacted by individuals in different districts. Sohrab said the latest incident in Mymensingh was organised after being approached by a man from Netrokona.
Efforts to contact page administrator Afsar were unsuccessful after repeated attempts, as his phone remained switched off. According to Sohrab, Afsar was responsible for producing and uploading the videos.
