Friend of dogs and crows

When everyone in Faridpur town is going to work early in the morning, a 54-year-old man is seen walking on the roads with a bag full of bread to feed dogs and crows.

Horendro Chandra Sutradhar, co-owner of a jewellery shop in Faridpur town, has been doing this for 30 years. Every night, he and his wife make the bread at home, and he feeds them to dogs and crows in the morning. The dogs and crows approach him when they see him as he is well-known to them.

Horendro said, “When I was child, I saw my father put jars full of water in different places in our village, so that birds and other animals could drink it in summer season. From that I became inspired.”

“I have been doing this since 1986. Now I think it is my duty to feed them, because some dogs and crows wait for me on the road. They know me, so when I reach those places they come to me and I give them the bread,” said Horendro.

“My family members always help me to do this work, they never forbid me,” Horendro said, “I am doing this so that those animals can understand that humans have a lot of sympathy for them.”

Subroto Saha of Kamlapur area said, “I see him regularly when I take a walk, it is definitely a good thing that he does.”

Rasel Sheikh, a shopkeeper of DIV Bot Tola area, said, “I see him feeding the dogs when I come to open my shop. Now I try to feed the dogs that come in front of my shop.”

Radhakanto Sutradhar, 47, younger brother of Horendro, said, “Now it has become our family work, so everyone helps him to do it.”

Radhakanto added, “Horendro thinks it is his duty, so he does not stay home even when he is sick or it is raining.”