A youth political activist has been accused of sexually harassing a woman and filming the incident in Gournadi, Barishal. The allegation concerns an area in Bilgram under Ward 9 of Mahilara Union in Gournadi Upazila.

The man named in connection with the alleged filming is Md Shahin Mridha, who is described locally as an active member of the Mahilara Union unit of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal. However, the exact date and location at which the video was recorded could not be independently verified from the information available.

Local residents said the incident allegedly took place around one to one-and-a-half months ago at a house in Bilgram. According to their account, Shahin and several others found a woman inside a residential property with a man. The woman was subsequently subjected to harassment, while the incident was allegedly recorded on a mobile phone.

A video connected to the incident has since circulated on social media. The footage reportedly shows the woman attempting to cover herself with her scarf while a man records the scene with a mobile phone. The footage also appears to show the woman being subjected to further harassment. The identity of the person who originally recorded the video, as well as who later shared it online, has not been independently established.

Shahin Mridha has denied the allegation that he recorded the video. Speaking by telephone, he said the incident occurred at the residence of Monir Howlader in Bilgram approximately one-and-a-half to two months ago.

According to Shahin, Howlader’s wife lives abroad and, on the night in question, the woman had allegedly been taken to the house where an inappropriate activity was taking place. Shahin said he was informed about the matter and arrived at around 11.30pm.

He acknowledged being present at the scene but insisted that he did not film the incident. He claimed that several people from the same village recorded the footage and suggested that someone among them might have later shared it. Shahin said he had switched on his mobile phone’s light at the scene but had not used the device to record the incident.

He also claimed that he had attempted to hand those involved over to the police. However, he said they were released that night after allegedly admitting their involvement. Shahin has described the circulation of the video as an attempt to implicate him in a conspiracy. The accounts of the other people he mentioned could not be obtained.

The allegations have also drawn the attention of the local Jubo Dal leadership. Monir Hossain Akon, member secretary of the upazila unit, said they would visit the area and investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. He said the organisation would consider disciplinary action after establishing what had happened and why the video was recorded.

Police said no formal written complaint had been filed over the incident at the time of reporting.

Gournadi Model Police Station officer-in-charge Tariq Hasan Rasel said police had not received any written complaint. He added that if a complaint was submitted, the allegations would be investigated and appropriate legal action would be taken based on the findings.

As the allegations have yet to be formally investigated, the claims against Shahin Mridha remain unproven. The circulation of intimate or humiliating footage without consent can cause serious harm to the person involved, making the protection of the woman’s privacy and dignity an important consideration while the authorities establish the facts.