HC rules after ‘Lungi March’

The High Court has asked why the decision to stop the rickshaw-pullers wearing lungi entering Baridhara at the capital’s Gulshan would not be declared illegal.

The bench of Justices Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and ABM Altaf Hossain on Tuesday issued the rule on their own volition following a news report on the matter.

The court also asked the President and General Secretary of the Baridhara Housing Society, Deupty Commissioner of police’s Gulshan zone and Gulshan Police Station OC to respond within two weeks.

Deputy Attorney General Biswajit Roy argued for the state at the hearing.

English newspaper The Daily Star on Apr 3 ran a report that rickshaw-pullers wearing lungi were barred from entering Baridhara, one of the posh neighbourhoods in Dhaka where diplomats and affluent people live.

The ban was imposed by the Baridhara Housing Society, an organisation of the home owners.

The instructions given by the Baridhara Housing Society to the security staff included that rickshaw-pullers must wear trousers to enter Baridhara.

Protesting the move, hundreds of youths held a ‘Lungi March’ on Apr 13 in the area and the issue was hotly discussed on social media.

While speaking to bdnews24.com on Tuesday, rickshaw-puller Farhad Mia said his rickshaw was the only way to earn a living. “I’ll do what they tell us to do as long as I can drive my rickshaw.”

“I bought a trouser that cost me Tk 120. But I cannot wear it for a long time. It’s very uncomfortable. It feels hot,” he said.