A woman was allegedly beaten with shoes by a union parishad chairman during a village arbitration in Cumilla’s Brahmanpara upazila.

A video showing Madhabpur Union Parishad Chairman Md Farid Uddin beating the woman went viral on social media after the August 17 incident.

According to locals, the arbitration was held over allegations that the woman was involved in an extramarital relationship with a man from a village under Madhabpur union. Both were punished during the arbitration.

However, while no video of the man’s punishment has surfaced, the video of the woman being beaten has spread widely on social media, triggering widespread criticism and anger among locals.

Acknowledging the incident, UP Chairman Farid Uddin told this correspondent that the woman had been “found guilty” of having an extramarital relationship during the arbitration.

“The arbitrators delivered the decision as part of a social arbitration, and I only carried it out as an elected public representative,” he said.

He added that some people had since circulated a video of the incident on social media.

When asked whether an elected public representative had any legal authority to enforce such a punishment, Farid disconnected the call.

Advocate Shahidul Haque Swapan, a member of the Cumilla Bar Association, told The Daily Star that the incident constituted a serious offence.

“An elected public representative has no authority to publicly beat a woman with shoes in this manner. Even if she had committed an offence, she should have been handed over to law enforcement,” he said.

He added that there was no legal basis for enforcing such a punishment through a village arbitration.

Brahmanpara Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Faruk Hossain said police became aware of the incident after the video went viral.

“No one has filed a complaint with the police in this regard. If a written complaint is submitted, legal action will be taken following an investigation,” the OC said.