3 jailed for two years for killing 20 dogs in Jatrabari

A court has sentenced three men to two years in prison for brutally killing 20 dogs using iron rods, pliers and lethal injections in the Lichu Bagan area of Dhalpur in north Jatrabari of the capital.

The verdict was delivered on Sunday, March 8, by the court of Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Zakir Hossain. The convicts are Md Abul Khayer, Md Opu and Md Manik.

According to court bench assistant Saim Uddin, the accused were sentenced under sections 16(a) and 16(b) of the Animal Welfare Act 2019.

Under section 16(a), they were given six months’ simple imprisonment and a fine of Tk1,000, with an additional 15 days’ simple imprisonment in default of payment. Under section 16(b), they were sentenced to two years’ simple imprisonment and a fine of Tk1,000, with another 15 days’ imprisonment in default.

Both sentences will run concurrently, meaning each convict will serve two years in prison.

Md Manik was present in court when the verdict was announced and was sent to jail through a conviction warrant. The other two convicts were absent and arrest warrants have been issued against them.

According to the case statement, on January 23, 2021, the accused killed 20 dogs in the Lichu Bagan area of Dhalpur using iron rods, pliers and lethal injections and later carried the bodies away in sacks.

The suspects were identified through video footage. The investigation confirmed the involvement of Abul Khayer, Md Opu and Md Manik in the killings.