Target: Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of Bangladesh
Goal: Pursue vigorous investigations, maximum penalties, and transparent enforcement against those who traffic wildlife, abandon or neglect domestic animals, and destroy habitats, while implementing stronger safeguards that prevent future cruelty.
At a recent animal welfare gathering, speakers underscored a simple truth: a healthy democracy and a safe ecosystem go hand in hand, and animals—domestic and wild—depend on both. Across the country and worldwide, species are said to be under mounting pressure from human-driven forces: rapid population growth, climate change, unplanned urbanization, river and wetland filling, deforestation, and a rise in wildlife trafficking. These forces erode habitats, drive animals into conflict with people, and leave countless creatures vulnerable to neglect, abandonment, and illegal trade.
The harms are specific and severe. Wildlife is snared, captured, and shipped through illicit networks; forest and grassland clearances push animals into shrinking fragments of habitat; and domestic animals are too often left without adequate food, water, medical care, or shelter. Such cruelty and exploitation also creates public-health risks and undermine biodiversity on which communities rely. While existing laws provide tools to respond, enforcement gaps and limited transparency allow many offenders to escape meaningful accountability.
Protecting animals—and the people who live alongside them—requires decisive action. Sign below to demand a robust national response to elevate anti-trafficking enforcement, increase penalties that deter repeat offenses, and expand resources for humane care and rapid response. Clear public reporting, strong oversight of transport and markets, and targeted education that discourages feeding, baiting, or otherwise disturbing wild animals can help prevent cruelty before it starts. In line with recent calls for timely, updated laws, also demand that authorities review and strengthen animal-welfare standards and wildlife-protection rules, ensuring they match current threats and international best practices.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Ministry Syeda Rizwana Hasan,
Recent public discussions have emphasized how the dignity of a democracy is mirrored in how it treats animals and safeguards ecosystems. At the same time, animals here and worldwide are said to be at risk from deforestation, unplanned urbanization, river and wetland filling, climate change, and increasing wildlife trafficking. Domestic animals, too, are suffering from neglect and abandonment.
We respectfully urge your Ministry to intensify investigations and, where evidence supports, seek maximum penalties against those who traffic wildlife, illegally clear habitat, or neglect or abandon animals. We also ask for transparent public reporting on seizures and prosecutions, expanded support for the Wildlife Crime Control Unit, and coordinated oversight that closes known loopholes in transport and trade.
In addition, please prioritize preventative measures: update and strengthen relevant wildlife and animal-welfare regulations; expand community education on humane coexistence and the dangers of feeding or disturbing wild animals; and ensure local responders have resources to rescue, rehabilitate, and safely release wildlife or rehome domestic animals. These steps will demonstrate zero tolerance for cruelty while promoting the biodiversity, public safety, and ecological stability on which everyone depends.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Ashraful Nirob71
