Case filed over beating two pet dogs to death; Court orders arrest

A court in Bangladesh's Patuakhali district has ordered the arrest of two men accused of beating two pet dogs to death after a video of the alleged incident circulated on social media, court officials said.

The case was filed on Sunday by Patuakhali Sadar Upazila Livestock Officer Atiur Rahman after he verified the incident, according to the case statement.

The accused, identified as Monju Hawlader, 50, and Zahir Hawlader, 45, allegedly tied the two pet dogs to an electricity pole with ropes and beat them to death with wooden sticks in the Khejurtala Stand area of Auliapur Union on July 23.

They have been charged under Section 7(2) of the Animal Welfare Act, 2019, and Section 428 of the Penal Code.

"I came to know about the incident through a viral video on social media. After investigating the matter, we initiated legal action over the alleged cruelty to animals," Atiur told Daily Waadaa.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Abu Bakar Siddique of Patuakhali's First Court took cognizance of the case and ordered the arrest of the two accused.