The ‘Cream Apa’ conundrum exposes digital violations of children's rights

In one video, the viral "Cream Apa," also known as Sharmin Shila, was seen forming a human pyramid with her family: her husband at the base, she sitting on his shoulders, her son on hers, and finally, her 14-month-old daughter Jim on top.

From the angle the video was shot, it appeared that Jim's head came dangerously close to the ceiling fan.

Even if it didn't, Jim looked extremely sleepy and drooled throughout the video.

In another video, set to a Hindi item song playing in the background, Sharmin pretended to drink alcohol using bottled water. At one point, she spat water on her daughter's face.

In several other videos, Jim was physically and verbally assaulted, threatened with hard objects, had her ears pierced and made to wear heavy earrings, had her hair bleached with cheap products, and was force-fed food inappropriate for her age. The list goes on.

Netizens are both disgusted and deeply concerned. Many believe Sharmin engages in these acts purely to gain views and go viral—thus earning more money.

On 6  April, a humanitarian organisation called Ekai Eksho submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka, demanding Sharmin's punishment. The memorandum was accepted, and authorities assured action within three days.

This frightened Sharmin, prompting her to go live on social media several times to apologise.

"I tried to be funny with my content. I did not mean harm," she claimed in one video.

"Sharmin's case should be used as a study. It will uncover many underlying social issues. Since we are in a digital age, safety guidelines for child content creation must be included in textbooks."

Farhana Mannan, Activist and Researcher

Later, on 9 April, Kazi Israt Zaman, Women Affairs Officer of Savar Upazila, filed a case under the Children's Act 2013 with Ashulia Police Station.

After the case was filed, Sharmin went live again. This time threatened that her entire family would commit suicide if the backlash continued. She then left her home and sought refuge at a relative's house in Ashulia.

Eventually, she was arrested on 10 April in Ashulia.

"As a mother myself, her videos are unbearable to watch. Her babies clearly look traumatised," said Rafiya Khan, a Dhaka-based entrepreneur.

In a conversation with The Business Standard, Sadia Rosni Suchona, a child development professional, spoke about how Sharmin's actions are affecting her children's well-being.

"The videos are scary, not funny in the slightest. The 14-month-old's motor skill development is being disrupted. At this age, she should be exploring with crayons, not applying lipstick. The makeup Sharmin uses on her daughter's face isn't even safe for adult skin," she said.

Suchona added that complaints had been filed against Sharmin earlier as well, but she evaded consequences due to the absence of specific regulations on children's makeup usage—something many international content creators also exploit.

Reportedly, activist Zakia Hossain Trisha played a pivotal role in filing previous complaints, though they yielded no significant results.

"The severity of abuse increased over time. Feeding a whole grape to a toddler is dangerous. In most videos, the child appeared extremely drowsy. Kids at her age need 12 to 14 hours of sleep a day. Being constantly threatened and traumatised could severely impair their mental development," she added.

"This is a deep-rooted issue in society"

Activist Farhana Mannan believes Sharmin is not the only one involved in such harmful activities.

"She is only being punished because she went viral. What about those who don't?" she questioned.

Farhana, author, researcher, and founder of Shoishob—a platform for parent and child awareness—stated, "Just filing a complaint and making an arrest is not enough. We need to understand Sharmin's background. Did she have a difficult childhood? Is content creation her only means of survival?"

According to the case statement, Sharmin, a resident of Ashulia, is a beautician known as "Cream Apa," and she earns a living by doing makeup and selling homemade creams.

Farhana stressed that personal and family counselling is urgently needed in the country.

"Sharmin clearly does not appear mentally stable. She needs proper treatment," she said.

"Sharmin's case should be used as a study. It will uncover many underlying social issues. Since we are in a digital age, safety guidelines for child content creation must be included in textbooks."

A healthy way to make content with children

Manha Mehzabin Mannota is a child actor and content creator, as well as a top-performing student at Ideal School and College.

Her mother, Tuli Hasan, believes there is a healthy way to nurture a child's creativity through content creation while safeguarding their wellbeing.

"Balancing Mannota's studies and content creation requires a structured routine. I create weekly schedules with designated time blocks for studying, extracurriculars, rest, and leisure. Schoolwork is always completed before shoots. I also inform teachers about her commitments and ensure she gets enough sleep, nutritious food, and water. I celebrate her achievements both academically and creatively," she said.

Mannota is deeply passionate about making short videos and often brainstorms ideas herself, with her mother helping her bring them to life.

Tuli views content creation as a learning tool.

"It teaches valuable skills like storytelling, editing, dance, and digital literacy. If she wants to learn CapCut, Canva, or basic filming techniques, I support her hobby," she added.

"There are many inspirational child influencers in Bangladesh. One was even recognised as the youngest teacher in the country. With proper parental support and supervision, content can be both impactful and safe," said Farhana.

The misunderstood concept of child consent

In Bangladesh, the concept of child consent is often misunderstood—or completely unheard of.

"When it comes to content creation, a child's consent should be paramount. Parents need to understand and observe if the kids are being spontaneous in doing whatever they are making them do. It is very easy to get the child to do something by manipulating them with fear of punishment or the desire for reward," said Sadia.

"Even educated parents may fail to understand the importance of consent," added activist Farhana.

Even Rashidul Bari, a Bangladeshi-American physicist and educator, and father of child prodigies Soborno Isaac Bari and Aporbo Bari is a controversial figure. He has been accused of coercing his children into making content.

Bari Science Lab, an educational platform led by Rashidul, is known for its science and math tutorials on YouTube, with over 1.4 million subscribers.

"No doubt the kids are brilliant and their content is educational. But the spontaneity in those videos feels missing," concluded Suchona.