The busy streets of Dhaka are nothing short of a nightmare. Each time I catch sight of a stray attempting to reach the other side in utter wariness, the city wheelers slam onto accelerators with reckless abandon, and my heart skips a beat. I find myself wondering whether people realise that animals have lives too.

Cruelty against cats and dogs has long persisted. These poor creatures remain vulnerable and often go unfed, kicked, or even beaten to death on the streets. Such acts of violence are a blatant destruction of human law. Nevertheless, it is disturbingly accepted as a common occurrence when it comes to strays. Despite the existence of low maintenance and weary legislation guarding the rights of animals, many in our country have yet to recognise the offence of inflicting violence on animals, let alone be held accountable.

The issue concerning stray animals is dire, with the issue constantly being overlooked. This subject demands ongoing awareness, yet it continually fails to receive the attention it deserves. As we strive to reform the nation, the youth stepped forward to volunteer across various sectors with some handling traffic and others brooming the littered streets of the city. This provides an excellent opportunity to address the issues that are usually turned a blind eye to. After all, what good is the freedom of speech if we abstain from raising our voices on behalf of those without a voice?

The key to increasing visibility regarding the plight of stray animals is to change societal and individual attitudes towards them. However, shifting constricted perceptions that are deeply rooted is quite the challenge. Public campaigns through social media as well as community events educating people about the importance of treating animals with kindness and respect can be a solution. Animal volunteers and some individuals have previously contributed to daily operations, such as feeding, cleaning, and caring for stray animals. Volunteering provides a direct way to have influence in the lives of stray animals, but the effectiveness of activism ultimately depends on the level of participation they garner.

In recent times, mediums of expression including graffiti and digital art are being embraced by the youth to convey positive messages or condemn injustice. These creative outlets can also be powerful tools to highlight the degrading acts of cruelty against stray animals. If the unfair acts that are openly committed on the streets can be visualised and condemned in the very streets they occur in, many might reconsider committing them. By exposing and condemning harsh realities, such practices have the potential to challenge and reverse public perception and behaviour.

In addition to raising awareness, the youth must be resilient against animal cruelty by speaking up whenever such acts are witnessed. Taking a stand means not remaining silent in the face of adversity. By being vocal and reporting incidents of cruelty, young people should help to hold perpetrators accountable and create a more compassionate society for these animals.

Stray animals have the right to live without fear, and it is our duty to uphold zero tolerance against animal cruelty. If we seek to reform a better nation, there is no alternative but to address the problems affecting society and inquire about our own liabilities to put a full stop in front of iniquity.

Punomi Rahman Titir is a student at Academia School Dhaka. Contact her at punomirahman@gmail.com