An incident of harassment and confrontation occurred near the National Museum in Shahbagh, Dhaka, involving Hijra and transgender people who were spending time in the public space and individuals who were filming, following, and questioning them without their consent. Analysis of videos published from the scene shows several individuals running after Hijra and transgender people while filming them with mobile phones. The Hijra and transgender people appear frightened as they move quickly away from those filming them, covering their faces with their hands in an apparent attempt to conceal their identities. In another video, several individuals described as “mobile journalists” can be seen aggressively questioning two transgender people, filming them at close range despite their objections, and challenging them over why they were spending time in Shahbagh. The videos do not show the individuals giving consent to being filmed; instead, they can be seen trying to avoid the cameras and conceal their identities. The footage clearly shows that their personal boundaries and unwillingness to be filmed were not respected.

Following the incident, several media outlets presented a different account of what had happened. Reports by Kalbela, Kaler Kantho, and Khola Kagoj stated that Borhan Uddin Yasin, a journalist with Daily Sokaler Somoy, was attacked by several Hijra and transgender people while filming at the location and was subsequently taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment. However, videos from the scene show the preceding context, including individuals following Hijra and transgender people with cameras, filming them despite their objections, and aggressively questioning them. The situation eventually escalated into a heated confrontation and physical conflict.

Police subsequently detained eight Hijra and transgender people from the scene and took them to Shahbagh Police Station. They were later punished through an executive magistrate and sent to jail over allegations of attacking the purported journalist and disturbing public order. During their detention and imprisonment, they were kept in extremely unhygienic conditions and subjected to disrespectful treatment.