Truth on three wheels: A rickshaw puller’s protest against victim blaming in rape

Shukkur never imagined a simple message of truth would generate so much opposition.

"It's not my clothes but your mentality that is to blame for rape." This was the slogan painted on the back of Shukkur's rickshaw.

It was a bold statement, one that challenged deep-rooted societal biases.

"After I put up the message, some people hurled abuses at me. They said it's always the fault of women and their clothing. But I asked one of them, 'Then why are little children raped? Are their clothes to blame too?' He got furious and started cursing at me.

"But I have no problem with that. Why should I stop speaking the truth?" Shukkur says firmly.

Shukkur had this slogan painted on his rickshaw back in 2020, during the Covid-19 lockdown. For over a year and a half, he rode across Dhaka, carrying the message despite receiving harsh criticism.

Eventually, the sign had rusted away and crumbled. 

Now, as Bangladesh faces a rising tide of brutal rape cases, including those involving children, images of Shukkur and his rickshaw are sweeping across social media, where netizens hail his courage.

When asked if he would display such a message again if someone comes forward, Shukkur smiled and said, "Of course! I have no problem revealing the truth, brother. It's others who struggle to face it."

'I fear people'

At fifty-plus, Mohammad Shukkur is an ordinary man with an extraordinary outlook. He has been pulling rickshaws since the days of Ziaur Rahman's rule. Having moved to Dhaka as a child, he barely remembers his early years, except for the Tk4 his mother gave him for the journey.

Today, he is a father of three and a grandfather. His biggest concern isn't financial security but the safety of his granddaughters.

"I fear people," he says. His fear intensified when he heard about cases of toddlers being assaulted. He insists that his grandchildren are never left alone at home.

Shukkur realised that society's mindset was not as progressive as he had assumed. "The truth has little value, and good deeds rarely get the recognition they deserve."

Art with a purpose

The slogan on Shukkur's rickshaw was painted by Mohammad Hanif Pappu, a legendary rickshaw artist, with the help of his associate, Monir Hossain. 

It was part of a broader initiative by Pashe Achhi, a voluntary organisation founded in 2019. During the lockdown, it funded about 20 rickshaw art images carrying messages against child marriage, noise pollution and sexual violence.

But why rickshaw art? 

Saiful Islam, a coordinator of Pashe Achhi, explained, "Rickshaw painting is part of our heritage. But during the pandemic, rickshaw artists were struggling. So we thought, why not use this platform? It gave them work and helped spread our message."

Their strategy was simple: people stuck in Dhaka's notorious traffic would inevitably read the messages on rickshaws. Even if one in five people reflected on them, it would be a step towards change.

Voice of courage

Pashe Achhi found convincing rickshaw pullers to display these messages challenging. Many feared a backlash and declined to carry the messages on their vehicles. But Shukkur readily agreed, unfazed by the consequences.

Shukkur was asked if he was worried about people's reactions. "Why should I be, brother? It's the truth. Why should I be scared of the truth?" he replied.

Despite being called irreligious and facing pressure to remove the sign, he stood his ground. 

"Some even said I don't fear God. But tell me, does my religion tell us to blame the victim? No, it says the wrongdoer should be punished. Some people told me to take it down, but why should I? It doesn't bother me; it bothers them."

Shukkur proved that one doesn't need a degree to fight injustice. Even though he is illiterate, he grasped a truth that many educated people fail to acknowledge.