A series of recent incidents has raised growing concern over animal cruelty in Bangladesh, with critics citing weak oversight and low public awareness as key contributing factors.

On April 8, a disturbing video circulated online showing a crocodile dragging a dog underwater in the pond at Khan Jahan Ali (RA) Mazar in Bagerhat. Social media users alleged that the dog’s legs had been tied and that it was deliberately thrown into the water to create viral content.

Although a subsequent investigation by the district administration concluded that the dog was rabid and that the incident was accidental, it brought the issue of cruelty against animals back into public discourse.

In a shocking case, police on April 9 recovered the bodies of 13 slaughtered horses and rescued one surviving animal from an abandoned house in Munshiganj. Locals suspect the involvement of a syndicate allegedly slaughtering horses and selling the meat as beef.

Earlier, on March 27, authorities uncovered an alleged fraud operation in Rupganj upazila of Narayanganj, where horse meat was being sold as beef to unsuspecting consumers. Law enforcement officials recovered a total of 20 horses—11 alive and nine already slaughtered—from a plot of land in the Harar Bari area of Sector 10 in Purbachal.

The officer-in-charge of the Purbachal police outpost, Harun-Or-Rashid, told reporters that a group of dishonest traders had brought the horses to the secluded location with the intention of slaughtering them. Nine animals had already been killed before residents grew suspicious and alerted authorities via the national emergency hotline 999 in the early hours.

Under the Animal Slaughter and Meat Control Act, 2011, slaughtering animals and selling meat without health inspection and a valid licence is a punishable offence.

Meanwhile, a video depicting the brutal killing of a spotted deer recently went viral on social media. According to Forest Department officials, the incident occurred on April 11 in the coastal area of Mirsarai in Chattogram.

On April 15, a mobile court in Chattogram sentenced and fined a man for destroying the nests of 27 babui birds, along with their chicks and eggs, reportedly to protect rice crops.

United News of Bangladesh has recently reported that cats and various birds are being kept in the open for sale in Dhaka’s Mirpur area in a manner that is not only disorganised but clearly inhumane.

Under the scorching sun, the animals are crammed into small cages without adequate shade. In many cases, there is no water and little to no ventilation.

As a result, they face severe discomfort, with risks of heat stress, exhaustion, and illness.

Animal rights advocates say these incidents of cruelty against animals reflect a troubling pattern and underscore the urgent need for stronger enforcement of wildlife protection laws, along with greater public awareness to prevent such acts of cruelty.

Rakibul Haque Amil, founder and chairperson of the nonprofit People for Animal Welfare (PAW) Foundation, said that only a handful of cases under animal protection laws have resulted in convictions. He noted that just two cases have ended in conviction under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1920, while the Animal Welfare Act 2019 has fared even worse.

“So far, to my knowledge, only one case has resulted in a conviction under the current law,” Amil told Daily Waadaa. “The act has made filing a lawsuit very complicated. We now often rely on the Penal Code instead.”

He added that while many believe animal cruelty has increased in recent months, the lack of reliable data makes it difficult to draw definitive conclusions.

“In today’s age of smartphones and social media, more people are recording and sharing such incidents, making them more visible. In reality, we are likely seeing only a fraction of what occurs—much of it never reaches public platforms,” he said.

Amil also pointed to a disturbing trend among some social media content creators. “There is a growing pattern—particularly in rural areas—of individuals abusing animals, recording the acts, and sharing them online to generate income. This is deeply troubling,” he said.

“To reduce animal cruelty, it is essential to introduce updated and effective legislation, ensure proper enforcement of existing laws, and promote humane values and legal awareness across society,” he added.