A Dhaka court on Wednesday sentenced a man to six months in jail in a case filed over killing his neighbour’s pet cat in Mohammadpur area of the capital.
The convict, Akbar Hossain Shiblu, was also fined Tk10,000. In default of payment, he will have to serve an additional one month in jail.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ashraful Haque delivered the verdict in the absence of the accused.
The court also issued an arrest warrant against him following the pronouncement of the judgment, said the complainant’s lawyer Zakir Hossain.
The case was filed on 5 February last year by Nafisa Nowrin Chowdhury on behalf of the animal rights organisation People for Animal Welfare.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court recorded the complainant’s statement and directed Mohammadpur Police Station to investigate the allegation and submit a report.
Following the investigation, police submitted a report confirming the allegations against the accused.
On 14 July, the court framed charges against Shiblu and ordered the trial to begin.
According to the case statement, the pet cat belonging to Monsur, a resident of the same building, went missing on 1 February.
Later, CCTV footage from the building showed the accused repeatedly kicking the cat. Even after the animal became motionless, he continued to strike it with his foot, causing its death, the complaint said.
