The killing of eight innocent puppies in Ishwardi, Pabna is not just a local crime—it is a cruel mirror in front of the human conscience of our society. Where coexistence between humans and animals is considered a primary sign of civilization, inhumane behavior like putting children and animals in bags and drowning them in a pond is not just a crime; it is a naked expression of human mental cruelty. The marginalized and helpless animals of society are still fighting for the protection of the law in our country—this incident has made it even clearer.
The quick response of the state machinery after this incident, on the one hand, inspires hope, and on the other hand, it also reveals the cruelty of our reality. There is the Animal Welfare Act 2019, there are livestock offices in the district and upazila, there is law and order in the government quarters—yet why can a woman freely stuff eight puppies in a bag and push them to their deaths? Why did she think that there would be no consequences for such an act? The answer lies within our society—where cruelty to animals is still seen as unimportant, “trivial” or “annoying.”
Livestock Advisor Farida Akhter called and directly commented on the incident, calling it “inhumane.” This is not a mere administrative formality. Damaging the country’s image, degrading social sense, and especially committing such an act within the government housing system—all these are bound to question the government’s reputation. It is clear from this that there is no room for minimizing where humanitarian responsibilities lie.
A case has been filed—this is a necessary step. But the bigger question is, how humane are we overall? The law has been implemented, the accused has left the quarters, the investigation team has arrived—all are natural reactions of the administrative structure. But has the conscience of society awakened? Have we understood how low our position as humans drops if we disregard the incident of loss of life as just “a dog incident”?
Accused Nishi Akhtar has claimed that she did not throw the chicks into the pond, but only packed them in a bag and left them on the pond bank. Can this argument stand in the court of humanity or law? Isn’t leaving the lives of children and animals in such a vulnerable state itself the same as murder? When people think that even if they don’t want to kill, leaving a life in a state where death is certain is not a sin—that’s when cruelty is born.
After this incident was shared on social media, the people of the country have become angry. Such anger is truly positive—because humane reactions can change society. Animal rights activists from different districts of the country have reached the spot. The administration has also taken quick action. But how long will this anger last? Will we be similarly disturbed when we see the next video of monkey, cat or cow torture? Or will we start to keep quiet habitually again?
Those who live in government quarters know that these residential areas are a symbol of the state’s sense of responsibility. Every behavior of the people living there carries the image of the government. And if cruelty is committed against helpless animals in that residential area, then from the state’s perspective, it is not only a crime—it is also a violation of administrative responsibility. Therefore, the order to vacate the quarters to the accused family—this is also, in a sense, a declaration of humane stance.
In this incident, livestock officials have filed a case, the advisor has given instructions, the Director General is directly supervising—all these are necessary. But if every person in the country cannot be made aware of the minimum rights of animals, then no matter how strict the law is, humanity will disappear.
The eight puppies were not just animals—they were children living in the shadow of motherhood. No one heard their cries, but the image of their death shook the entire country. May this shaking not stop, not be forgotten, not fade.
This incident is not just a crime—it has raised a storm of questions before us—are we really human?
Are we really a compassionate society? Can we really stand by the side of helpless life?
This brutal episode of puppy killing has shaken our conscience. What is needed now is a revolution of awareness, proper implementation of the law and a change in education. The answer to the question of what kind of society we will give to the next generation lies in the response to these small, but deeply humane incidents.
Is this country becoming a country of animal killings—is that what we want? No, we want a humane Bangladesh—where the lives of even small animals are valuable, where compassion, not cruelty, is our identity.
Let this one incident be the beginning of change—that is what is urgent now.