The High Court has directed the authorities concerned to form a high-level expert committee to verify the feasibility and initiate the implementation of Mass Dog Vaccination (MDV) and Catch-Neuter-Vaccinate-Release (CNVR) programmes for managing stray dogs within Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) area.
The High Court bench, comprising Justice Ahmed Sohel and Justice Fatema Anwar, passed the order on Sunday following a preliminary hearing on a writ petition filed in public interest.
The court issued a rule asking why the ongoing activities of removing and relocating stray dogs – conducted in contradiction to Local Government Division’s circular dated 15 December 2025, and Sections 7(1) and 14 of Animal Welfare Act, 2019 – should not be declared illegal, without legal authority, and ineffective.
In its interim order, the court instructed Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Local Government Division, Department of Livestock Services, and Directorate General of Health Services to constitute the high-level expert committee within 60 days.
According to the court’s directive, the committee is tasked with assessing the feasibility of MDV and CNVR programmes and starting their implementation in the DSCC area. The committee has also been ordered to submit regular progress reports to the court.
The writ petition was filed by Dipanwita Ridi, founder and chief executive officer of Animal Lovers of Bangladesh (ALB) animal shelter. The petition challenged the removal and relocation of stray community dogs from various public spaces under the jurisdiction of DSCC. Barrister Md Towfiqul Islam Khan, counsel for the petitioner, represented the case during the hearing.
