Several stray dogs and a cat were killed Friday night in Mohammadpur’s Japan Garden City, in the capital which ignited fire amongst netizens on social platforms, including celebrities from the country’s cultural arena.
Several local netizens on Friday evening posted on Facebook that some stray dogs and cats were being killed by poisoning in Japan Garden City, requesting everyone's cooperation to save the cats and dogs there. Some videos and pictures related to this went viral in no time and as soon as the news spread, many people rushed to Japan Garden City at night.
Soon after it went viral, several celebrities including actress Jaya Ahsan, content creator Salman Muqtadir, actor Khairul Basar, actress Jyotika Jyoti, actor Niloy Alamgir, director Raka Noshin Nower, and others posted on their social profiles, condemning the cruelty and demanding justice.
Salman Muqtadir wrote on his verified Facebook page: “What has happened to us. We don’t have any soul. There is no point in calling the animals barbaric because people have become barbaric animals these days.”
Expressing his rage towards the killers, he added: “May Almighty’s punishment be bestowed upon you before your death. May every second of your last breath remind you of this. I just hope you remember this when you suffer.”
Jaya Ahsan wrote on her official Facebook page: “They (the Japan Garden City Building Committee) have wanted it for almost five years but could not do it because of the protest of local animal lovers and various animal welfare organizations. They made it happen today.”
Addressing the murderers, actor Khairul Basar wrote: “Even if dogs ever thought of killing you, I would admit that they are dogs, not people! But as human beings, how did you poison innocent dogs?”
Meanwhile, a group of animal lovers including actor Niloy Alamgir along with his wife and activist Tasnuva Tabassum Hridi, rushed to Japan Garden City, voicing their outrage against animal cruelty.
The People for Animal Welfare (PAW) Foundation, a non-profit organization working for the welfare of animals, has called the incident murder and from the foundation, actress-activist and Bangladesh Film Certification Board member Quazi Nawshaba Ahmed filed a complaint at Adabor police station on Saturday to bring those involved in the incident to justice.
In that complaint, Nawshaba, on behalf of the Foundation, mentioned that the cat and ten dogs died of pain due to being poisoned. When residents and animal rights activists contacted the police station, a Sub-Inspector (SI) came to the spot and the bodies of three dogs and a cat were found in his presence; Nawshaba alleged that the remaining bodies of the animals were hidden.
According to the netizens and media reports, a group of Japan Garden City residents had been campaigning for the killing of stray dogs using the banner 'JGC Life Safety' for some time, and had been circulating banners and festoons inside the Japan Garden City with messages such as “All stray dogs should be sent to the homes of animal lovers” etc.
Meanwhile, the PAW Foundation posted on its Facebook page that the matter has been informed to the Director General of the Directorate of Livestock on behalf of the foundation, and the DG assured to take all legal steps.