Recently, the horrifying picture of cruelty and ruthlessness that has emerged in the social psyche of Bangladesh is not only alarming, but has also become a source of deep shame for conscientious people.
The kind of brutal treatment we are witnessing toward helpless animals and birds does not reflect a civilized society. Throwing live dogs or chickens into shrine ponds to be devoured by crocodiles, recording those scenes, and sharing them on social media for perverse enjoyment is an extreme manifestation of moral depravity.
Capturing deer in the forest and mercilessly hacking at their legs, then posting the images on Facebook, or beating stray dogs and cats to death for no reason—these incidents prove that primitive savagery has replaced compassion and empathy in our hearts.
Yet, the religion followed by the majority of people in this land, Islam, provides clear and strict guidance to be kind to animals. The Holy Qur’an states that all creatures roaming the earth are communities like yourselves.
In the Hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Show mercy to those on earth, and the One in heaven (Allah) will show mercy to you” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi). Even in the case of slaughtering animals or performing sacrifice, Islam prescribes specific etiquettes.
Slaughtering one animal in front of another or skinning it before its life has completely departed is strictly forbidden. Unnecessarily confining animals, depriving them of food while confined, or causing them any form of suffering also violates religious principles. When religion itself teaches sensitivity toward animals, there is no doubt that abusing them in the name of religion or for perverse pleasure is a grave crime and sin.
Regrettably, in present-day Bangladesh, this poisonous tree of cruelty is no longer confined to animals; rather, human behavior toward fellow humans has become deeply inhumane. From family disputes to violence in social and political arenas, the extent of brutality is chilling.
In a developing country, the kind of attacks, legal harassment, and oppression carried out in the name of suppressing political opponents is unimaginable in any democratic or civilized state. Detaining dissenters for years without trial, depriving them of due prison rights or “division” status, and the prevalence of heinous practices like enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killings are pushing society toward a dark abyss.
Likewise, when in the name of war, homes of civilians, schools, colleges, universities, places of worship, and symbols of civilization and culture are bombed, and innocent people—including women and children—are brutally killed, those perpetrators cease to be human; they become worse than beasts.
In reality, when the value of human life becomes insignificant in a society, cruelty toward animals becomes a natural consequence. The hand that does not hesitate to be stained with the blood of a fellow human out of political vengeance cannot be expected to show kindness to a deer in the forest or a stray dog on the street.
To prevent this moral decay, establishing the rule of law alone is not enough; there must also be widespread promotion of genuine religious values and humane education. The state must ensure the safety and justice of its citizens, and society must cultivate sensitivity toward animals and the environment.
If humans fail to show compassion toward one another and kindness toward all creation, then the wrath of nature—and the punishment of the Creator—becomes inevitable. There is no alternative to collective self-realization and moral reform if we are to be free from this condition.