Faridpur municipality rolled back from its plan to conduct a drive to cull stray dogs after massive outrage from citizens across the country.
The week-long campaign, which was being announced for a couple of days through megaphones, was supposed to start on Sunday, in defiance of the High Court order, which prohibits harming animals.
However, the campaign was ditched after the district’s locals and citizens all over the country protested the municipality’s decision.
District Livestock Officer Nurullah Md Ahsan said Faridpur Mayor Amitabh Bose called off the drive in line with the High Court’s orders.
Previously, Panel Mayor Md Moniruzzaman Monir said that they were only going to eliminate “the dangerous and aggressive dogs that attack people”.
“We asked residents to put collars on their pet dogs, and keep them locked during the one-week drive,” he said.
Municipal Secretary Tanjilur Rahman said the city was swarming with stray dogs, and many of them had attacked people. “Children and elderly do not feel safe on the streets because dogs follow them.”
When asked about the High Court order, he said he was aware of the Animal Welfare Act of 2019. “But the High Court also ordered the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock to take steps to control dog breeding, and no such action had been taken.”
Meanwhile, animal rights group People For Animal Welfare (PAW) Foundation has posted several updates about the drive on social media.
Rights activists expressed their concern over this and protested on social media.
“Animals have rights, just like us,” said Faridpur Nagarik Mancha General Secretary Panna Bala.
Conducting such drives in the name of culling only stray dogs is not justifiable in any way, he said before adding: “Authorities should follow the High Court’s order and neuter the dogs, not kill them.”
