Sakibul Hasan

The growing number of stray dogs across the country’s streets, villages, and cities has become a major public safety concern. Many citizens claimed that daily movement has become increasingly risky in several areas. Stray dogs chasing pedestrians and attacking people have raised alarm, especially parents are so fear for the safety of their children.

According to various reports, nearly 250,000 people in our country are bitten by dogs every year, while hundreds reportedly die real amount of numbers could be even higher and there are many incidents happen undocumented or unreported.

Before 2012, the authorities used to carry out timely culling operation to control stray dog populations. Following court intervention and pressure however from animal rights groups, but the practice was halted. Since then, the authorities have primarily focused on vaccination and the program of birth-control, although the city people argue that implementation has remained weak and ineffective.

Many people claim that Bangladesh lacks a proper registration system for pet ownership, while the most of dogs remain stray and unmanaged. Consequently, critics say that the stray dogs have restlessly expended, making risk for the people. Residents in several areas allege that even healthy stray dogs often become aggressive when searching for food or encountering unfamiliar people.

A tragic incident, a ten-year-old boy from a local family has died after being bitten by a stray dog. According to the family conversation, the severity of the bite was initially underestimated, leading to a delay in seeking proper medical treatment. As the child’s situation rapidly deteriorated, he was eventually taken to a hospital, but despite attempt to save him, he could not survive. The incident highlights a serous gap in public health awareness and underscores the critical Importance of immediate treatment to prevent rabies after animal bites. 

The issue has also prompted comparisons with the UK dog control system, where pet ownership registration, identification measures, the shelter system, and strict local authority oversight in place. Under those systems, stray dogs are collected, temporarily sheltered, and rehomed where possible. If no owner of shelter placement is found within a specific time, legal procedures allow further action

Public health experts and concerned citizens say Bangladesh urgently needs strong policies to control dogs, develop vaccination programs, make sure accountability from local authorities, and prioritize public safety while debate between public safety advocates and animal rights groups.