Dhaka – Police arrested a woman on Wednesday accused of killing eight puppies in Ishwardi of the northern Bangladeshi district of Pabna, following a public outcry over the deaths nearly a week ago.
Officer A S M Abdul Noor said his team arrested Nishi Rahman, 38, from her home in the town. Rahman, a housemaker and wife of an official at the Upazila Small Farmers Foundation, was detained after a complaint was filed against her.
She is accused of tying eight puppies in a sack and drowning them in a local pond. As reports of the cruelty surfaced in the media and sparked criticism on social media, Aklima Khatun, the Upazila Livestock Officer of Ishwardi, filed a case with the local police station.
The woman was charged under the Animal Welfare Act of 2019 for killing stray animals. If found guilty, she could face a sentence of up to six months in prison and a fine of 10,000 takas.
Aklima Khatun, the plaintiff, said that the incident provoked widespread discussion and condemnation after being reported. She added that Livestock Affairs adviser Farida Akhter contacted her and directed action against the “inhuman” act.
Meanwhile, the local administration has asked Hasanur Rahman, the accused’s husband, to vacate their government quarter. He has complied with the order.
“My wife asked to have the puppies removed, concerned for our children’s safety, but I never imagined they would be killed. I am ashamed and saddened by this incident,” Rahman told reporters.
The incident began nearly a week ago when a dog gave birth to eight puppies in the yard of the Rahman’s government quarter. The puppies later went missing, and the mother dog was seen howling on the compound. Local residents investigated, discovered the puppies had been thrown into a nearby pond, retrieved their bodies, and buried them.
