Cruelty rising amid weak enforcement, poor coordination, say experts
Gaps in laws, enforcement, education, and coordination continue to undermine animal welfare in Bangladesh, speakers said at a roundtable yesterday.
Organised by The Daily Star, the discussion titled Toward Humane Cities: Animal Welfare into Urban Policy brought together experts, activists, lawyers, and policymakers to examine the state's responsibility in animal welfare, humane stray population control, legal shortcomings, challenges in seeking justice, illegal breeding practices, the role of the media, and access to veterinary care.
Dr Md Shahinur Alam, director of the Livestock Medicine Store under the Department of Livestock Services (DLS), said cruelty persists despite strong laws. "Recent cases in Gopalganj and Khulna show dogs still being poisoned or beaten -- often with local administration involvement. We need stronger accountability and coordination to protect animals under the Animal Welfare Act-2019."
Stressing that CNVR (catch-neuter-vaccinate-release) and vaccination are "scientific imperatives", he said only a structured, humane, nationally led approach can ensure sustainable population control and genuine welfare.
Brig Gen Imrul Quais Chowdhury, chief health officer of Dhaka North City Corporation, said humane dog population management has been "inconsistent" due to legal and institutional gaps. "CNVR is the only proven method for sustainable control. DNCC coordinated with organisations to sterilise 25,000 dogs under a 2016 MoU, but later tenders failed to attract qualified partners."
He noted that the City Corporation Act lacks provisions for large-scale welfare initiatives and urged greater coordination with the DLS and integration of animal welfare into public health policy.
Rubaiya Ahmad, founder and chairperson of Obhoyaronno Animal Welfare Foundation, said disease and injury among street dogs are at record highs due to state inaction. "Dogs have become the orphaned children of urban governance," she said, adding that no ministry has been tasked or equipped to manage dog populations humanely since culling was banned in 2012.
"Our CNVR programme was never meant to be ad-hoc. Since 2009, our mission has been to end dog culling and promote humane, science-based population control. We signed MoUs with the two city corporations and Humane Society International in 2012, but the plan was never fully adopted."
She said Obhoyaronno has sterilised 25,000 dogs -- worth around Tk 60 crore -- but the initiative faltered after former DNCC mayor Anisul Haque's death. "Bureaucratic delays and lack of state support left the programme dependent on private organisations, while feeding unsterilised dogs has since driven the population from 38,000 to 73,000."
Rubaiya added that while vaccination drives have halved rabies deaths since 2014, culling continues. "There's still time.... But humane management cannot be sustained without regulation, funding, and political will."
Legal expert Dr Cynthia Farid said animal welfare faces an enforcement crisis rather than a legislative one. "There are many shortages in Bangladesh, but the shortage of laws is not one of them -- the real challenge lies in enforcement."
She said welfare is an intersectional issue tied to governance and science. "Whether it's controlling dog populations or managing city pollution, we must rely on data and expert guidance -- not emotion."
Farid pointed out that while the Animal Welfare Act-2019 exists, the rules are yet to be framed, leaving gaps in jurisdiction and enforcement. "Even well-intentioned efforts fail without legal clarity. Coordination and education must be our priorities."
Lawyer Saqueb Mahbub cited the 2021 case against Dhaka South City Corporation's removal of stray dogs as evidence of institutional resistance. "Section 7 of the act clearly bans relocating or culling ownerless animals, yet political pressure stalled enforcement.
"Public interest litigations have helped in certain cases, but without administrative will, legal victories alone cannot ensure lasting reform," he said, adding that section 18 of the act limits citizens' ability to file abuse cases, calling for revision of the provision.
Dr Nusrat Jahan, senior associate veterinarian at Bangladesh Animal Care Centre, said veterinary care remains costly due to dependence on imported medicines and instruments. "If local production or easier imports were possible, treatment costs would fall," she said, urging policy reforms to ensure 24/7 government and university-run veterinary services. She also warned against unethical breeding and untrained rescuers, stressing the need for regulation and accreditation.
Actor and activist Jaya Ahsan called for clear policies and ethical guidelines for using animals in Bangladesh's film and television industries. "Many think feeding animals or keeping them under a shade is enough -- but that's far from true. They don't understand the animal's needs because there are no guidelines or expertise."
She added that keeping foreign breeds as status symbols reflects "social vanity and a lack of empathy toward local animals". "Without laws, enforcement, and education, real change will remain out of reach."
Journalist and lawyer Zafar Sobhan said the media plays a crucial role in shaping humane, fact-based narratives on animal welfare. "How stories are told makes all the difference -- media can foster empathy or erode it."
Recalling his interview with Rubaiya Ahmad five years ago, he said sensationalism still dominates coverage. "Responsible media must educate and fact-check," he said, urging editors to create dedicated animal welfare beats. "Animal rights reflect our humanity -- and readers care deeply about compassion and justice."
The roundtable concluded with a unanimous call for stronger coordination among the DLS, city corporations, and civil society groups. Participants stressed that animal welfare should no longer be treated as a fringe concern but as part of urban governance, public health, and national development.
The discussion was hosted and moderated by Naziba Basher, senior sub-editor at The Daily Star.