Law enforcement agencies have seized a large quantity of banned horse meat in a raid conducted in the Haydarabad area of Gazipur City Corporation.

A total of 45 horses — 37 diseased and alive, and 8 slaughtered — were recovered during the operation, led by Executive Magistrate Ishtiaq Ahmed of the Gazipur District Administration.

The joint raid, carried out around 10:30pm on Tuesday, involved the Gazipur District Administration, the Department of Livestock, RAB-1, and the police. Upon sensing the presence of law enforcement, factory owner Shafiqul Islam and his associates fled the scene.

Locals said Shafiqul’s father, Zainal Abedin, had been renting a house near Moulvi Bari in Haydarabad (Rothkhola) and regularly buying and slaughtering horses there for the past year. The meat — banned for sale — was reportedly supplied to different districts across the country, including Dhaka’s Uttara area.

Residents said Shafiqul used to slaughter 30 to 40 horses every night and distribute the meat nationwide. The constant sounds of slaughtering, stench, and environmental pollution had made life unbearable for locals.

“Children cannot study at night, the smell is unbearable, and we’ve protested many times, but nothing happened,” a resident said.

“We want a permanent solution so that this illegal and toxic activity never happens again," they added. 

Executive Magistrate Ishtiaq Ahmed said the operation was entirely illegal and punishable.

“He had been fined three times before but didn’t stop. This time, a large-scale raid was carried out, and similar operations will continue. A case will be filed for slaughtering a banned animal,” he added.

He further said the horses were brought there for slaughter and sale. Since no one was arrested at the scene, the seized 45 horses — including 37 diseased and 8 slaughtered — and about five maunds of horse meat have been placed under the custody of a local resident.

On Wednesday morning, they will be handed over to the Gazipur Livestock Department. “Most of the rescued horses are sick and unfit for human consumption,” he added.

RAB-1 Superintendent of Police Shahidul Islam said the raid followed a tip-off about illegal horse slaughtering in the Haydarabad (Rothkhola) area.

“We found a large number of live horses, slaughtering tools, and evidence of meat storage during the operation,” he said.

The sale of horse meat in Gazipur’s Haydarabad area began earlier this year, sparking public outrage.

The district administration later banned the practice through mobile court drives. However, after a brief halt, the illegal slaughtering and sale resumed in secret.