Is it compassion or coercion?

A disturbing new trend has been going viral on video streaming platforms like YouTube and Facebook. Self-styled volunteers are producing contents by forcibly 'cleaning up' homeless people by shaving their heads, trimming their beards, bathing them, and dressing them up in new clothes in public. While these acts are considered charitable services by the volunteers and many of their audiences, they are really not. If the videos are watched minutely, gross violation of personal liberty, dignity, rights and beliefs would be found. A few of the street people seem to have been happy to get the services, but most do not. The videos show that in many cases, the homeless people targeted for the 'services' try to resist the volunteers, but fail because the service providers overpower them. The volunteers sometimes choose violent ways to bridle them.

The reactions of the audiences shown in the comment section of the videos suggest most of the people like the acts. Some people even encourage them by sponsoring dresses for the street people with their names announced in the videos. The volunteers, who seem to belong to the majority community because of their attire, are doing the job considering it righteous. Any religion or culture promotes cleanliness while Islam considers it a virtue, suggesting that maintaining cleanliness is a desirable quality. Cleanliness is also closely linked to health. There is no denial that it is good to help anyone remain clean. However, imposition of this practice, if necessary by resorting to violent means, is not only undesirable, but also an offence and violation of personal liberty. Personal liberty is a fundamental right enshrined in our constitution, which guarantees the freedom to live life the way one prefers without interference from other people or the authorities. Article 32 of the Bangladesh Constitution provides, "No person shall be deprived of… personal liberty save in accordance with law," meaning it is the responsibility of the State to take action against those who infringe upon this right of any citizen. The Bangladesh's Penal Code criminalises involuntary touching, shaving, or restraining someone without consent. If done so, it is considered an assault under the law. 

These apparently good acts could have severe psychological consequences on the people who are subjected to them. Many homeless people suffer from mental health issues or past trauma. Being forcibly restrained, shaved, or washed in public can be profoundly humiliating and even traumatising anew for them. The actions might also erode the trust that exists between vulnerable people and those who really aim to help them. The filming and publicising of the acts for entertainment or earning through monetisation is another disturbing aspect of the infringement.

The volunteers are violating fundamental rights and constitutional provision and disregarding the beliefs of other people every day under the very nose of the authorities. They are trimming off matted hair of sadhus who believe in mysticism. In Islam, matted hair is not permitted but it is alright in some other beliefs. Nobody is asking the volunteers who have given them the authority to do this job.

These volunteers might have been inspired by similar videos created by people in the West. But they do not minutely watch them and follow the moral and ethical standards maintained by the Western content creators, who do not trim hair or bathe anyone in public without their consent.

The present trend of helping homeless people shows a societal failure to understand and address homelessness with sensitivity. Structural poverty, mental illness, and displacement cannot be solved by superficial gestures.

Now the government should step in to stop the illegal and unethical public activities while genuine voluntary organisations should establish ethical guidelines and codes of conduct when working with vulnerable populations. Digital platforms such as YouTube and Facebook must be held accountable for allowing such contents to proliferate.  

rahmansrdk@gmail.com