A woman in Pabna's Ishwardi has been arrested after a case was filed against her for the inhumane killing of eight newborn puppies. The accused, Nishi Rahman (38), wife of a government official, allegedly tied the puppies in a sack and drowned them in a pond.
Police arrested Nishi Rahman, wife of Small Farmers Foundation officer Hasanur Rahman Nayan, during a raid late Wednesday night. The case was filed on Tuesday (December 2) around 11:30 pm by Ishwardi Upazila Livestock Officer Aklima Khatun under Section 7 of the 'Animal Welfare Act' 2019.
The puppies, born to a resident dog named Tom at the Upazila Executive Officer's residence, were reportedly thrown into the Upazila Parishad pond sometime on Sunday night. The bodies were recovered on Monday morning.
The caretaker of the UNO's house, Jahangir Alam, reported that the accused official's son revealed, "Mom put the puppies in a sack and threw them into the pond." Nishi Rahman denied throwing them in the pond, claiming she only put them in a bag and left them near a tree, stating, "I don't know how they fell into the pond."
The incident drew widespread criticism across media and social platforms. The Advisor to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Farida Akhter, along with the Director General, condemned the act as "inhumane" and tarnishing the country's image, instructing that "no concession will be given" to the perpetrators.
Following the incident, the accused's husband, Hasanur Rahman Nayan, was given a written order to vacate the gazetted quarters on Monday (December 1) and subsequently moved out.
The mother dog, Tom, was seen crying and running around the Upazila premises, searching for her missing puppies before and after the discovery of their bodies.
Police confirmed that the accused will be handed over to the court after the legal process is completed.
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