The local authorities on Monday abandoned their decision to relocate stray dogs from Saint Martin’s Island to various places of Teknaf, following protests from environmentalists.
Thirty-six strays were caught from the island’s jetty area on Sunday afternoon for relocation, only to be released sometime later.
The dogs had been freed in the face of protests, said Teknaf UNO Parvez Chowdhury.
People for Animal Welfare Foundation’s founding chairman, Rakibul Haq, said: “Section 7 of the Animal Welfare Act, 2019 states that killing or removing a stray animal is a punishable offence… Neither a citizen of the state, nor a government entity, can kill or remove a dog.”
He earlier said he had contacted the local authorities and asked them to follow the law and take scientific measures to control the dog population on the island instead of relocating them.
According to sources at the local union parishad, tourists visiting St Martin's Island often get scared due to the free movement of stray dogs along the beach. Besides, mother tortoises coming to the beach to lay eggs have been getting killed by strays. The decision to relocate them was taken after taking such matters into consideration.
When asked about the matter, Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner Mamunur Rashid said: “There is a writ petition filed by an environmentalist organization at the High Court regarding the killing of stray dogs. Environmentalists are now blocking the new initiative to relocate strays. Due to this the relocation process has been halted for the time being.”
