At least 20 people were injured after being bitten by dogs in Jhenaidah municipality area on Sunday. Among the injured, at least 15 received treatment at Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital.
The incidents occurred between afternoon and evening across several parts of the municipality, according to hospital and local sources.
Emergency department officials at Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital confirmed that among the injured were Priyonti Basak, a student of Islamic University, and Shahinur Rahman, an official of the Department of Agricultural Extension. All victims received vaccines and necessary treatment, they added.
Enamul Kabir Dipu, a resident of Hamdah Mollapara, said, “In the afternoon, the dog bit a pedestrian in our area. Then it went on to attack several others, including children inside houses.”
He expressed concern over the growing number of stray dogs in the city, saying,
“These dogs haven’t been vaccinated for a long time.”
Reports suggest that the attacks were not limited to Hamdah Mollapara, the stray dog bit people in different parts of the town. In one incident near Government Boys’ School in the evening, a man was bitten while trying to save a child from the animal.
Shahinur Rahman, a sub-assistant agriculture officer, said, “While I was taking my motorcycle out of the garage after work, the dog came and bit me.”
Priyonti Basak, a second-year student of Law and Land Management at Islamic University, said, “When I returned to the Kathpatti area from Jhenaidah town, a dog suddenly came and bit my right hand.Locals came forward and rescued me.”
Dr Choa Israil, physician at Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital, said all victims had been given anti-rabies vaccines and other necessary medicines.
“Although their conditions are stable, we have advised follow-up checkups,” she added.
A few years ago, the High Court declared dogs as protected wildlife and banned their culling by municipalities and city corporations. As a result, the number of stray dogs in Jhenaidah has been increasing in recent years.
Jhenaidah Municipality Administrator Rathindranath Ray said that a government health project previously handled the vaccination of stray dogs. However, the initiative was halted during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The number of stray dogs has indeed increased. We will contact the health department soon to see what urgent measures can be taken,” he added.
