# Teenager Assaulted in Lalmatia Over Wearing Shorts After Football Practice

> A 16-year-old student in Lalmatia was attacked by two men for wearing shorts after football practice and heading to coaching class. The boy defended himself and escaped, leaving him traumatized. Experts say such inciden…

Published: 2026-01-18 · Desk: Latest · Source: Prothom Alo

Students at an English-medium school in Lalmatia have been practicing for a school football tournament in jerseys and shorts at a nearby field under teacher supervision. Some students also attend coaching classes, and due to time constraints, they go directly from practice in their football attire to the coaching center.

Last Wednesday, a 16-year-old student followed this routine after practice. Around 7:30 pm, shortly after leaving his coaching class, someone suddenly struck him from behind. When he turned, he saw two unknown men, aged 22–23, confronting him. One asked, “Why are you wearing shorts? Don’t you have pajamas at home?” The boy explained he had come from football practice, prompting the men to verbally abuse and attack him.

The incident was shared on Facebook by a family member. Speaking to Prothom Alo, the boy’s mother, a former journalist, described the attack as traumatizing. The family lives in Dhanmondi, and her son is in ninth grade. She said the assault over wearing shorts is deeply upsetting and has left her son distressed.

The mother recounted the timeline: after December midterm exams, some coaching classes were pending. The school, coaching center, and field are in the same lane. Her son left home around 2:45 pm, practiced football from 3 to 5 pm, then attended class until 7 pm. The attack occurred as he was getting into a vehicle after class.

When questioned, the boy explained he had come straight from practice, but the two men became angry. One grabbed his jersey tightly around the neck, leaving marks, while the other attempted to strike him. The boy defended himself and ran. Seeing other students leaving the coaching center, the attackers fled.

His father, nearby on a rideshare motorcycle, rushed to the scene within a minute but the attackers had already escaped. He expressed shock, saying that despite being lifelong residents of Dhanmondi, such an attack over wearing shorts was unprecedented.

The mother said the incident left her deeply saddened and fearful, prompting her to pack pajamas in her son’s bag for football practice. Her son asked, “Dad, is wearing shorts a crime?”

Cultural Pressure and Coercion

Over the past year and a half, incidents of harassment in Bangladesh over clothing, including women’s attire and even shorts worn by staff at Dhaka University, have raised public concern.

Monirul A. Khan, a sociology professor at Dhaka University, told Prothom Alo that the country is seeing a cultural shift. Dominant groups are attempting to impose their preferences on others, restricting personal freedom under various pretexts. “The person wearing shorts isn’t forcing anyone else to wear them, yet this group lacks that understanding,” he said.

Professor Khan added that such actions create a democratic crisis. Social cohesion requires tolerance of diverse perspectives, and without it, society suffers. He emphasized that the government and citizens must actively address such incidents rather than remain silent.

Original reporting: https://www.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/capital/8j96kmiqrm?fbclid=IwdGRjcAPYS2pleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe6VxUxEcGWU5CEOsyPet2I6fKJXTp0SB44Z05E0Km3MqO8n35_y1IldzEmo4_aem_vlA-6GMpa0zS6-UX7H8Nuw
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