Commercial pet shop owners in the city demand allowing them more time to keep the shops open for a certain period of time to enable them to feed and clean the animals.
The capital’s Katabon is home to many pet stores and hundreds of animals and fish of various species. However, the fate of these animals remains in darkness behind shutters almost all throughout the day during the ongoing lockdown.
During last year’s lockdown, screams of the caged animals were heard across the area. The Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim himself visited the site and announced the decision to keep the shops open every day for two hours for non-commercial purposes only.
However, pet shop owners are unsure if the decision has carried on to this lockdown as well. They told this correspondent that the patrolling officials only allow half an hour per day now for feeding and cleaning which is not enough.
Having visited the sight at noon yesterday, this correspondent found almost all the stores shut. The shutters of the ones consisting of birds and animals had some breathing space.
Owner of a bird store in Katabon told Bangladesh Post that last year, the stores were allowed to open every day between 10am-12pm for cleaning and ventilation purposes. However, this year, no such instruction has yet been given.
“We followed last year’s schedule but the officials in patrol told us that we can only remain open for half an hour. This short time is not enough to feed the animals or clean the place,” he said.
He added that the time allowed now is only between 11am-11:30 am. The owners of many pet stores have been in discussion to speak to higher authorities and resolve the issue.
Mizanur Rahman, owner of an aquatic pet store, told Bangladesh Post that the current conditions have led to the death of fish worth Tk. 95000 taka in his stock.
“I brought a stock of foreign fish worth over one lakh taka. Most of them are dead now. There is no business and just half an hour of maintenance time per day is not enough. We are in a dire situation,” he said.
He further said that the officials of Shahbagh thana force them to shut down the stores within 30 minutes and not much work can be done by the time.
Shedding light on a different scenario, founder of People for Animal Welfare, Rakibul Haq Emil, told Bangladesh Post that the solution of this remains in the hands of the store owners or their committee.
He said that the stores are display centers for the animals and all such business people have a separate ground where they keep their animals. They can easily shift the animals there instead of keeping them in this situation.
“No one would stop them from feeding the animals or cleaning up. The shop owners showcase this scenario to try to keep their shops open and business running. That is why officials act strictly,” he said.
He added that it is not difficult for them to reach the ministry and get a letter from them to keep the stores open for non-commercial purposes. They are hurting the animals for their own gain.
DMP Additional Deputy Commissioner (media) Iftekharul Islam told Bangladesh Post that it is of course a sensitive issue at this time. Animal lives also matter.
“We have received instructions from different ministries for the lockdown. However, I have not noticed if there is any specific instruction regarding this from the ministry of fisheries and livestock,” he said.
He added that if there is any specific instruction provided in the matter from the ministry, the law enforcement officials of the area will work accordingly.
Dr Amitavo Chakrabartty, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock told Bangladesh Post that a letter has been issued regarding the matter to the cabinet.
“Last year, an official decision was passed on to the store owners. However, this year, we have issued a letter for all sorts of animal maintenance in general to remain open in need.”
He said that the owners of stores can get the letter from the website and show it to the patrolling authorities. He urged the correspondent to inform the shop owners to contact the ministry regarding the issue.
During the last lockdown, Dr Md Asaduzzaman, veterinary surgeon at the Central Veterinary Hospital in Dhaka, visited the Katabon pet shops as per the instructions from the Fisheries and Livestock Ministry.
He told Bangladesh Post that last year, the veterinary hospital offered treatment and services to the animals put on display in Katabon.
“Even today, they are welcome to get treatment and other services in our hospital because the pandemic is not over. However, I am not sure if the ministry’s instructions regarding the stores last year, continued to this lockdown,” he said.